SET‐LRP of N , N ‐dimethylacrylamide and of N ‐isopropylacrylamide at 25 °C in protic and in dipolar aprotic solvents

Cu(0)-mediated living radical polymerisation in dimethyl lactamide (DML); an unusual green solvent with limited environmental impact

The synthesis of poly-acrylates, methacrylates and styrene derivatives by SET-LRP is reported in a user and environmentally friendly “green” solvent, dimethyl lactamide (DML).

Aqueous SET-LRP catalyzed with “in situ” generated Cu(0) demonstrates surface mediated activation and bimolecular termination

Ultrafast, inversely temperature dependent aqueous SET-LRP with “in situ” generated Cu(0) yields quantitative chain-ends demonstrating surface mediated activation and termination.

Synthesis of polymer precursors of electroactive materials by SET-LRP

SET-LRP is used for the controlled copolymerisation of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-4-yl methacrylate (TMPM) with 3-azidopropyl methacrylate (AzPMA), followed by the oxidation of TMPM to produce electroactive poly(TEMPO methacrylate) (PTMA).

Synthesis of well-defined α,ω-telechelic multiblock copolymers in aqueous medium: in situ generation of α,ω-diols

The synthesis of well-defined α,ω-dihydroxyl telechelic multiblock copolymers by sequential in situ chain extensions via aqueous Cu(0) mediated living radical polymerization (SET-LRP) is reported.

A rational approach to activated polyacrylates and polymethacrylates by using a combination of model reactions and SET-LRP of hexafluoroisopropyl acrylate and methacrylate

A new class of activated polyacrylates was elaborated by a combination of model reactions and SET-LRP of hexafluoroisopropyl acrylate and methacrylate.

Aqueous copper(0) mediated reversible deactivation radical polymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate

Lowering the concentration of adsorbed radicals on the Cu(0) surface, achieved by reducing catalyst and adding NaBr, is the key to the synthesis of well-defined P(HEA) without a high molecular weight shoulder in aqueous solution using two-step Cu(0) in situ mediation.

Sequence-controlled multi-block copolymerization of acrylamides via aqueous SET-LRP at 0 °C

Aqueous single electron transfer living radical polymerization (SET-LRP) has been employed to synthesize multi-block homopolymers and copolymers of a range of acrylamide monomers including N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM), 2-hydroxyethyl acrylamide (HEAA), N,N-dimethyl acrylamide (DMA) and N,N-diethylacrylamide (DEA).

Preparation and Properties of Thiol-Ene UV-Curable Fluorinated Emulsion

Single electron transfer living radical emulsion polymerization (SET-LRP) of allyl methacrylate (AMA) coupled with 2,2,3,4,4,4-hexafluorobutyl methacrylate (HFBA) was investigated in the presence of Cu(0)/N,N,N’,N’’,N’’-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (PMDETA) as catalyst and ethyl 2-bromoisobutyrate (EBiB) as initiator. Solid content of the emulsion and the amount of the catalyst, initiator and emulsifier were discussed for the optimal reaction conditions. Then, the emulsion was combined with thiol capped polyurethane (SHPU) under UV to form the UV curable fluorinated films. Mechanical properties and contact angle of the UV cured films were studied.

Synthesis and Aggregation of Double Hydrophilic Diblock Glycopolymers via Aqueous SET-LRP

A chemically unprotected mannose-containing acrylate (ManA) monomer was synthesized and polymerized by Cu(0)-mediated radical polymerization in water (SET-LRP). One-pot block copolymerization was achieved upon addition of a solution of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAm) or diethylene glycol ethyl ether acrylate (DEGEEA) forming thermoresponsive double hydrophilic diblock glycopolymers which revealed self-assembly properties in aqueous solution forming well-defined, sugar-decorated nanoparticles.

Self-activation and activation of Cu(0) wire for SET-LRP mediated by fluorinated alcohols

Herein we report the self-activation and activation of Cu(0) wire used to form a catalyst in single-electron transfer living radical polymerization (SET-LRP) in two fluorinated alcohols employed as solvents, 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE) and 2,2,3,3-tetrafluoropropanol (TFP).

Dextran-based thermo-responsive hemoglobin–polymer conjugates with oxygen-carrying capacity

Graft copolymer dextran-g-poly(NIPAAm) was synthesized via SET-LRP and covalently attached to bovine hemoglobin to form thermo-responsive protein–polymer conjugates as novel oxygen carriers.

Cu(0)-mediated polymerization of hydrophobic acrylates using high-throughput experimentation

In this paper the optimization of the Cu(0)-mediated polymerization of n-butyl acrylate and 2-methoxyethyl acrylate is reported using an automated parallel synthesizer.

Synthesis of high molar mass poly(n-butyl acrylate) and poly(2-ethylhexyl acrylate) by SET-LRP in mixtures of fluorinated alcohols with DMSO

SET-LRP of n-butyl acrylate (nBA) and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate (EHA) initiated with bis(2-bromopropionyl)ethane (BPE) to synthesize high molar mass poly(nBA) and poly(EHA) was carried out in binary mixtures of 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE) or 2,2,3,3-tetrafluoropropanol (TFP) with DMSO at 50 °C.

Multiblock sequence-controlled glycopolymers via Cu(0)-LRP following efficient thiol–halogen, thiol–epoxy and CuAAC reactions

The combination of copper(0) mediated living radical polymerization (Cu(0)-LRP) with thiol–halogen, thiol–epoxy and copper catalysed alkyne azide coupling (CuAAC) click chemistry has been employed to give a new route to multiblock sequence-controlled glycopolymers.

SET-LRP of semifluorinated acrylates and methacrylates

For the first time SET-LRP of 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyl acrylate, 2,2,3,3,4,4,4-heptafluorobutyl acrylate, 1H,1H,5H-octafluoropentyl acrylate and 1H,1H,5H-octafluoropentyl methacrylate in 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol as the solvent at 25 °C for acrylates and at 50 °C for methacrylate was accomplished.

Reversible deactivation radical polymerization in the presence of zero-valent metals: from components to precise polymerization

We highlight recent work from the advent of zero-valent metal-mediated RDRP looking at advances in its components and the synthesis of well-defined polymers.

High Molecular Weight Block Copolymers by Sequential Monomer Addition via Cu(0)-Mediated Living Radical Polymerization (SET-LRP): An Optimized Approach

The synthesis of well-defined high molecular weight block copolymers by sequential in situ chain extensions via Cu(0)-mediated living radical polymerization is reported. Optimal conditions for iterative high molecular weight block formation were determined using model homopolymer quasiblock systems, including methyl acrylate (MA), ethyl acrylate (EA), and n-butyl acrylate (nBA; each block DP_n ≈ 100). The PDI after each chain extension was below 1.2, with good agreement between theoretical and experimental molecular weights, while the conversion of monomer incorporation into each distinct block was 95-100% (up to 6 blocks). To demonstrate this approach for true block copolymer materials, well-defined block polymers containing MA, ethylene glycol methyl ether acrylate (EGMEA), and tert-butyl acrylate (tBA) were prepared in high purity: diblock P(MA-b-EGMEA) and triblock P(MA-b-tBA-b-MA). These were prepared in high yields, on multigram scales, and with purification only required at the final step. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that high molecular weight block copolymers have been reported using this novel technique.

Thermoresponsive micellization and micellar stability of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-b-DNA diblock and miktoarm star polymers

Linear and miktoarm star-shaped diblock copolymers consisting of single-stranded DNA and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) with various compositions were synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization and click chemistry. The temperature-responsive phase transition behavior, micellization, was systematically examined using UV-vis spectrometry, high-sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic light scattering, and small-angle X-ray scattering. The lower critical solution temperature (LCST) increased, and its enthalpy decreased with decreasing PNIPAAm content. The copolymers self-assembled into well-defined nanoparticles having a core composed of PNIPAAm and a coronal layer of DNA above LCST. The particle size and micellar aggregation number of copolymer chains depended on the macromolecular composition and chain architecture. On the other hand, regardless of their factors, the surface area occupied by one DNA strand was found to be almost unchanged. The hybridization of DNA on the nanoparticles with fully complementary one induced the aggregation of the particles in a non-cross-linking configuration. The nanoparticle composed of miktoarm star copolymer showed a quicker DNA-hybridization response in this non-cross-linking aggregation compared with the case of a linear analogue.