Despite showing promise in such widespread applications as artificial photosynthesis and drug delivery vessels due to the difference in properties found with comparison to the linear chain precursors, macrocyclic polymers remain synthetically difficult and tedious to produce. Dibrominated poly(methyl methacrylate) (BrPMMABr) chains were produced by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), and were added dropwise into a redox active solution to activate the dormant chain ends. In the presence of specific radical traps, intramolecular radical trap-assisted atom transfer radical coupling (RTA-ATRC) was the major pathway, creating cyclic PMMA. Evidence of macrocyclic formation was obtained by size exclusion chromatography, mass spectrometry, and also by thermolysis of the alkoxyamine bond contained within the cycle. The BrPMMABr was used as a bifunctional initiator to subsequent ATRP reactions creating BAB triblocks which, upon ring closure by RTA-ATRC, generated macrocyclic diblock copolymers.

Synthesis of cyclic poly(methyl methacrylate) homopolymers and diblock copolymers using radical trap-assisted atom transfer radical coupling

248th National Meeting (2014)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.