Controlled radical polymerizations have significantly impacted the field of polymer science by facilitating the synthesis of polymers with greater control over molecular weight and polydispersity. Furthermore, the ease of execution, functional group tolerance and access to complex molecular architectures, have contributed to their widespread adoption. As these synthetic techniques continue to evolve, more degrees of control over the synthesis of polymeric materials are realized. Recently, external regulation ofthe polymerization process by various stimuli has gained attention as a way to increase the scope of polymer synthesis. To this end, our group has demonstrated external regulation of a controlled radical polymerization process with light using a photoredox catalyst. While light offers many advantages as a stimulus for polymerization, scaling up presents unique challenges such as shallow and uneven penetration of light through the reaction medium, thus negatively impacting the rate of polymerization. In this work, we address some of the challenges associated with scaling up light-mediated controlled radical polymerizations by employing a continuous flow microreactor.

Continuous flow synthesis via a light-mediated controlled radical polymerization

248th National Meeting (2014)

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