Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 2, 2026

Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization of Functionalized Vinyl Monomers Using Perylene as a Visible Light Photocatalyst
Published on: April 22, 2016
Synthesis of Polymer Bioconjugates via Photoinduced Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization under Blue Light Irradiation
Liye Fu1, Zhenhua Wang1, Sushil Lathwal1
1Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States.
Abstract:
A rapid blue-light-induced atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) was conducted in a biologically friendly environment. Well-controlled polymerization of oligo(ethylene oxide) methyl ether methacrylate (OEOMA) was successfully performed in aqueous media (1X PBS) under irradiation by blue LED strips. With 10.0 mW/cm2 intensity output at 450 nm, >90% conversion was achieved in 2 h in the presence of a system comprising glucose, glucose oxidase, and sodium pyruvate. Poly-(OEOMA) was synthesized with predetermined M and low dispersities using low ppm of Cu catalysts. Importantly, secondary structures of proteins, as analyzed by circular dichroism (CD), were preserved under blue-light irradiation due to its lower energy output. The aqueous blue-light ATRP technique was applied to biological systems by synthesizing well-defined protein-polymer and DNA-polymer hybrids by the "grafting-from" method.
More Related Videos
07:39Facile Synthesis of Worm-like Micelles by Visible Light Mediated Dispersion Polymerization Using Photoredox Catalyst
Published on: June 8, 2016
12:19Photogeneration of N-Heterocyclic Carbenes: Application in Photoinduced Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization
Published on: November 29, 2018
Related Concept Videos
Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Stereochemistry
Selection Rules: Photochemical Activation
Free-Radical Chain Reaction and Polymerization of Alkenes
ATP and Macromolecule Synthesis
Most macromolecules are composed of single subunits, or building blocks, called monomers. The monomers combine with each other using covalent bonds to form larger molecules known as polymers.
Conversion of...
Cycloaddition Reactions: MO Requirements for Photochemical Activation
Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism
Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism