Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2025
06:49
Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization of Functionalized Vinyl Monomers Using Perylene as a Visible Light Photocatalyst
Published on: April 22, 2016
11.9K
Visible-Light-Mediated Controlled Radical Branching Polymerization in Water
Kriti Kapil1, Grzegorz Szczepaniak1,2, Michael R Martinez1
1Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|January 16, 2023
Summary
Green light initiates atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) to create branched polymethacrylates quickly. This method yields polymers with controlled molecular weights and branching, useful for bioconjugates.
Area of Science:
- Polymer Chemistry
- Green Chemistry
- Biomaterials Science
Background:
- Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP) is a controlled polymerization technique.
- Developing efficient and environmentally friendly polymerization methods is crucial.
- Biologically relevant conditions for synthesis offer advantages for biomaterial applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize hyperbranched polymethacrylates using green-light-induced ATRP.
- To investigate the use of a water-soluble inibramer for controlled branching.
- To achieve rapid synthesis of well-defined branched polymers under mild conditions.
Main Methods:
- Green-light-induced atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP).
- In situ preparation and use of sodium 2-bromoacrylate (SBA) as a water-soluble inibramer.
- Copolymerization of methacrylate monomers under biologically relevant conditions in open air.
Main Results:
- Well-defined hyperbranched polymethacrylates were synthesized in under 30 minutes.
- Achieved predetermined molecular weights (36,000–170,000 g/mol) and low dispersity (1.14–1.33).
- Demonstrated tunable degree of branching and successful synthesis of bioconjugates with controlled architecture.
Conclusions:
- Green-light ATRP offers a rapid and efficient method for synthesizing hyperbranched polymethacrylates.
- The SBA inibramer effectively controls branching and enables the creation of complex polymer architectures.
- This approach is suitable for producing advanced biomaterials and bioconjugates under mild, biologically relevant conditions.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:17Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Chain Branching
2.0K
The skeletal structure of polymers synthesized via radical polymerization is always branched. For example, the polymerization of ethylene by radical polymerization results in a low-density grade of polyethylene with a heavily branched skeletal structure. Here, the radical site abstracts hydrogen from the growing chain, and the radical site shifts from the end (a primary carbon center) to anywhere within the growing chain (a secondary carbon center). Consequently, the part of the chain from the...
2.0K
01:10Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview
2.5K
Chain-growth or addition polymerization is successive addition reactions of monomers with a polymer chain. In radical chain-growth polymerization, the reaction proceeds via a free-radical intermediate. The free radical is formed from radical initiators, which spontaneously generate free radicals by homolytic fission. Organic peroxides (such as dibenzoyl peroxide, as shown in Figure 1) or azo compounds are popular radical initiators. A low concentration ratio of radical initiator to monomer is...
2.5K
02:35Free-Radical Chain Reaction and Polymerization of Alkenes
8.0K
The conversion of alkenes to macromolecules called polymers is a reaction of high commercial importance. The structure of the polymer is defined by a repeating unit, while the terminal groups are considered insignificant. The average degree of polymerization represents the number of repeating units in the polymer molecule and is denoted by the subscript n.
8.0K
01:09Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism
2.6K
The radical chain-growth polymerization mechanism consists of three steps: initiation, propagation, and termination of polymerization. The polymerization initiates when a free radical generated from the radical initiator adds to the unsaturated bond in the monomer. The unpaired electron of the free radical and one π electron in the unsaturated bond creates a σ bond between the free radical and the monomer. As a result, the other π electron in the unsaturated bond converts this...
2.6K
00:57Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism
2.4K
The cationic polymerization mechanism consists of three steps: initiation, propagation, and termination. In the initiation step of the polymerization process, the π bond of a monomer gets protonated by the Lewis acid catalyst, which is formed from boron trifluoride and water. The protonation of the π bond generates a carbocation stabilized by the electron‐donating group. In the propagation step, the π bond of the second monomer acts as a nucleophile and attacks the...
2.4K
01:04Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism
2.1K
The mechanism for anionic chain-growth polymerization involves initiation, propagation, and termination steps. In the initiation step, a nucleophilic anion, such as butyl lithium, initiates the polymerization process by attacking the π bond of the vinylic monomer. As a result, a carbanion, stabilized by the electron‐withdrawing group, is generated. The resulting carbanion acts as a Michael donor in the propagation step and attacks the second vinylic monomer, which acts as a Michael...
2.1K