The development of photocontrolled radical polymerizations has enabled unprecedented control over polymer chain-growth. In order to render these light-regulated processes suitable for monomers that do not undergo radical polymerizations, such as vinyl ethers, a cationic variant was recently developed. The design and mechanistic study of this novel photocontrolled cationic polymerization and its applications toward the preparation of complex polymeric materials will be examined. Then, the discussion will focus on the merging of radical and cationic photocontrolled polymerizations—using a combination of two photoredox catalysts—as a means to streamline access to a diverse array of copolymer architectures using light as a simple external stimulus.

Accessing various polymer architectures with the simple flip of a switch

256th National Meeting (2018)

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