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 different techniques of controlled polymerization modes, namely atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and photoinduced radical oxidation/addition/deactivation (PROAD), is effectively used for the block copolymers’ 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 living cationic 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 by spectral and chromatographic analyses.