Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer Polymerization of 4-Anilinophenyl(meth)acrylates

摘要

The monomers 4-anilinophenyl methacrylate (1) and 4-anilinophenyl acrylate (2) were synthesized and polymerized by reversible addition - fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization as models for oligoaniline side chain polymers. Two chain transfer agents (CTAs), 2-cyanopropyl dithiobenzoate (3) and a-cyanobenzyl dithiobenzoate (4), were investigated in the RAFT process The methacrylate monomer exhibited a higher rate of polymerization than the acrylate monomer and produced polymers with a narrower polydispersity index. The chain transfer agents also had an effect on the polymerization and CTA 3 controlled the polymerization better than CTA 4. An in-situ NMR study showed that there was an induction period of approximately two hours for the polymerization of the acrylate monomer in the presence of CTA 4. With the proper selection of the chain transfer agent, the methacrylate monomer could be polymerized in a controlled manner to high conversion and produced polymers with low (<1 4) polydispersity index.