Photoinduced Synthesis of Block Copolymers by Combining Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization and Photoinduced Radical Oxidation/Addition/Deactivation

Abstract

A new polymerization mechanistic transformation strategy, combining two differenttechniques of controlled polymerization modes, namely atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP)and photoinduced radical oxidation/addition/deactivation (PROAD), is effectively used for the blockcopolymers’ formation. Thus, mono- or bi- bromide functional polystyrenes (PS-Br or Br-PS-Br)synthesized by light-induced ATRP were used as a macroinitiator on isobutyl vinyl ether in the livingcationic polymerization via PROAD process to give the corresponding block copolymers. Thus,depending upon the macroinitiator’s surface, AB/ABA type block copolymers (PS-b-PIBVE or PIBVEb-PS-b-PIBVE) were formed. The final polymers and precursor polymers were characterized byspectral and chromatographic analyses.