Dendrimers as Scaffolds for Reversible Addition Fragmentation Chain Transfer (RAFT) Agents: a Route to Star-Shaped Block Copolymers

2005 ◽  
Vol 58 (6) ◽  
pp. 483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaojuan Hao ◽  
Eva Malmström ◽  
Thomas P. Davis ◽  
Martina H. Stenzel ◽  
Christopher Barner-Kowollik

Star-shaped block copolymers of styrene and n-butyl acrylate having three, six, and twelve pendent arms were successfully synthesized via reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. Dendritic cores (based on 1,1,1-trimethylolpropane) of generation 0, 1, and 2 have been functionalized with 3-benzylsulfanylthiocarbonylsulfanylpropionic ester groups and have subsequently been employed to mediate the polymerization of styrene and n-butyl acrylate to generate macro-star-RAFT agents as starting materials for chain extension. The chain extension of the macro-star-RAFT agents with either styrene or n-butyl acrylate by bulk free radical polymerization at 60°C gives narrowly distributed polymer (final polydispersities close to 1.2) increasing linearly in molecular weight with increasing monomer-to-polymer conversion. However, with an increasing number of arms (i.e., when going from three- to twelve-armed star polymers), the chain extension becomes significantly less efficient. The molecular weight of the generated block copolymers was assessed using 1H NMR spectroscopy as well as size exclusion chromatography calibrated with linear polystyrene standards. The hydrodynamic radius, Rh, of the star block copolymers as well as the precursor star polymers was determined in tetrahydrofuran by dynamic light scattering (90°) at 25°C. Interestingly, the observed Rh–Mn relationships indicate a stronger dependence of Rh on Mn for poly(butyl acrylate) stars than for the corresponding styrene polymers. Rh increases significantly when the macro-star-RAFT agent is chain extended with either styrene or n-butyl acrylate.

e-Polymers ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Xu ◽  
Wei Shang ◽  
Jian Zhu ◽  
Zhenping Cheng ◽  
Nianchen Zhou ◽  
...  

AbstractA novel bis-functional reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) agent bearing triphenylamine (TPA) and bis(indolyl)methane (BIM) groups, {4-[bis(1-carbodithioic acid benzyl ester-indol-3-yl)methyl]phenyl}diphenylamine (BCIMPDPA), was synthesized and successfully used as the RAFT agent to mediate the polymerization of styrene (St). The polymerization results showed that reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of St could be well controlled. The kinetic plot showed it was of first order and the numberaverage molecular weight (Mn(GPC)) of the polymer measured by GPC increased linearly with monomer conversion, simultaneously, the molecular weight distribution of the polymer was also relatively narrow. In addition, the existence of the TPA and BIM groups in the middle of polymer chain was confirmed by chain extension reaction and 1H NMR spectrum. The optical properties of the functionalized polystyrene (PS) in chloroform solution were also investigated. Furthermore, the redox process of the RAFT agent and the functionalized PS were studied by cyclic voltammetry method.


KIMIKA ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-50
Author(s):  
Shienna Marie Pontillas ◽  
Florentino C. Sumera ◽  
Rigoberto C. Advincula

Carbazole containing polymers have captured the interest of researchers for use in optoelectronics. For an important material to exhibit its optoelectronic properties intrinsic uniformity in the molecular level is required. Thus, a monomer of ethyl methacrylate with pendant carbazole group was synthesized and polymerized via Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer (RAFT) to produce polymers with controlled molecular weight distribution and narrow polydispersity index (PDI). This method of polymerization was compared with that of free radical polymerization by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The RAFT’s polymerization kinetics was observed to follow a plot of number average molecular weight (Mn) versus % conversion, characteristic of living polymerization. It was also shown to possess polymer chain extension capability. The structure of the monomer and the polymers were characterized by Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR).


2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin Wu ◽  
Ronan McHale ◽  
Guoqiang Feng ◽  
Xiaosong Wang

Reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) synthesis and self-assembly of free-base porphyrin cored star polymers are reported. The polymerization, in the presence of a free-base porphyrin cored chain transfer agent (CTA-FBP), produced porphyrin star polymers with controlled molecular weights and narrow polydispersities for a number of monomers includingN,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMA) and styrene (St). Well-defined amphiphilic star block copolymers, P-(PS-PDMA)4and P-(PDMA-PS)4(P: porphyrin), were also prepared and used for self-assembly studies. In methanol, a selective solvent for PDMA, spherical micelles were observed for both block copolymers as characterized by TEM. UV-vis studies suggested star-like micelles were formed from P-(PS-PDMA)4, while P-(PDMA-PS)4aggregated into flower-like micelles. Spectrophotometric titrations indicated that the optical response of these two micelles to external ions was a function of micellar structures. These structure-related properties will be used for micelle studies and functional material development in the future.


Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 1164
Author(s):  
Angeliki Chroni ◽  
Thomas Mavromoustakos ◽  
Stergios Pispas

The focus of this study is the development of highly stable losartan potassium (LSR) polymeric nanocarriers. Two novel amphiphilic poly(n-butyl acrylate)-block-poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether acrylate) (PnBA-b-POEGA) copolymers with different molecular weight (Mw) of PnBA are synthesized via reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, followed by the encapsulation of LSR into both PnBA-b-POEGA micelles. Based on dynamic light scattering (DLS), the PnBA30-b-POEGA70 and PnBA27-b-POEGA73 (where the subscripts denote wt.% composition of the components) copolymers formed micelles of 10 nm and 24 nm in water. The LSR-loaded PnBA-b-POEGA nanocarriers presented increased size and greater mass nanostructures compared to empty micelles, implying the successful loading of LSR into the inner hydrophobic domains. A thorough NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) characterization of the LSR-loaded PnBA-b-POEGA nanocarriers was conducted. Strong intermolecular interactions between the biphenyl ring and the butyl chain of LSR with the methylene signals of PnBA were evidenced by 2D-NOESY experiments. The highest hydrophobicity of the PnBA27-b-POEGA73 micelles contributed to an efficient encapsulation of LSR into the micelles exhibiting a greater value of %EE compared to PnBA30-b-POEGA70 + 50% LSR nanocarriers. Ultrasound release profiles of LSR signified that a great amount of the encapsulated LSR is strongly attached to both PnBA30-b-POEGA70 and PnBA27-b-POEGA73 micelles.


2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (45) ◽  
pp. 7871-7880 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sunirmal Pal ◽  
Megan R. Hill ◽  
Brent S. Sumerlin

Thermo- and redox-responsive hyperbranched copolymers were prepared by statistical copolymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) and N,N′-bis(acryloyl)cystamine (BAC) by reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization.


2011 ◽  
Vol 284-286 ◽  
pp. 769-772
Author(s):  
Qian Qian You ◽  
Pu Yu Zhang

The block copolymer of PSt-b-POEOMA with the end of -COOH functional group has been synthesized by reversible addition fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) using S,S′-Bis(α,α′-dimethyl-α′′-acetic acid)-trithiocarbonate (BDATC) as a chain transfer agent. The architectures of the copolymers were confirmed by FT-IR and 1HNMR spectra. GPC analysis was used to estimate the molecular weight and the molecular weight distribution of the copolymers. Meanwhile, The nanostructures of the block copolymers PSt-b-POEOMA micelles formed in aqueous solution were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS).


2013 ◽  
Vol 66 (12) ◽  
pp. 1564 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lily A. Dayter ◽  
Kate A. Murphy ◽  
Devon A. Shipp

A single reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) agent, malonate N,N-diphenyldithiocarbamate (MDP-DTC) is shown to successfully mediate the polymerization of several monomers with greatly differing reactivities in radical/RAFT polymerizations, including both vinyl acetate and styrene. The chain transfer constants (Ctr) for MDP-DTC for both these monomers were evaluated; these were found to be ~2.7 in styrene and ~26 in vinyl acetate, indicating moderate control over styrene polymerization and good control of vinyl acetate polymerization. In particular, the MDP-DTC RAFT agent allowed for the synthesis of block copolymers of these two monomers without the need for protonation/deprotonation switching, as has been previously developed with N-(4-pyridinyl)-N-methyldithiocarbamate RAFT agents, or other end-group transformations. The thermal properties of the block copolymers were studied using differential scanning calorimetry, and those with sufficiently high molecular weight and styrene composition appear to undergo phase separation. Thus, MDP-DTC may be useful for the production of other block copolymers consisting of monomers with highly dissimilar reactivities.


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