Trithiocarbonates as intrinsic photoredox catalysts and RAFT agents for oxygen tolerant controlled radical polymerization. Issue 9 (3rd February 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fu, Q.; Xie, K.; McKenzie, T. G.; Qiao, G. G.
• Is Part Of: Polymer chemistry. Volume 8:Issue 9(2017)
• Page Start: 1519
• Page End: 1526
• Publication Date: 2017-02-03
• Subjects: Polymers -- Periodicals; Macromolecules -- Periodicals; Polymerization -- Periodicals; 547.705
• DOI: 10.1039/c6py01994c
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1759-9954

Abstract

Abstract : In this study, we reported on the discovery that trithiocarbonates (RAFT agents) can act as intrinsic photocatalyst to significantly reduce the oxygen level in a controlled radical polymerization under visible light irridation. Abstract : This study reports the discovery that trithiocarbonate RAFT agents can significantly reduce the amount of dissolved oxygen when irradiated with visible light ( λ max ≈ 460 nm) in the presence of a sacrificial tertiary amine. By taking advantage of this effect, we conducted a series of photo-CRPs of acrylates without the requirement of pre-degassing the reaction mixtures. In these systems, the trithiocarbonate plays a triple role of photocatalyst for oxygen removal, initiator, and RAFT agent for polymerization control. We believe this robust and facile synthetic method will be beneficial for cost-effective industrial applications as well as the laboratory-scale synthesis of functional polymeric materials.