Polymer end group modifications and polymer conjugations via “click” chemistry employing microreactor technology |
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Authors: | Joke Vandenbergh Tiago Tura Evelien Baeten Thomas Junkers |
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Institution: | 1. Polymer Reaction Design Group, Institute for Materials Research (IMO‐imomec), Universiteit Hasselt, , B‐3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium;2. Escola Polytécnica da Universidade de S?o Paulo, Avenida Professor Luciano Gualberto, , S?o Paulo, 05508‐010 Brazil |
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Abstract: | This study presents the development of microreactor protocols for the successful continuous flow end group modification of atom transfer radical polymerization precursor polymers into azide end‐capped materials and the subsequent copper‐catalyzed azide alkyne click reactions with alkyne polymers, in flow. By using a microreactor, the reaction speed of the azidation of poly(butyl acrylate), poly(methyl acrylate), and polystyrene can be accelerated from hours to seconds and full end group conversion is obtained. Subsequently, copper‐catalyzed click reactions are executed in a flow reactor at 80 °C. Good coupling efficiencies are observed and various block copolymer combinations are prepared. Furthermore, the flow reaction can be carried out in only 40 min, while a batch procedure takes several hours to reach completion. The results indicate that the use of a continuous flow reactor for end group modifications as well as click reactions has clear benefits towards the development and improvement of well‐defined polymer materials. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 1263–1274 |
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Keywords: | atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) azidation click chemistry click reactions diblock copolymers microflow chemistry microreactor technology radical polymerization reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) |
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