화학공학소재연구정보센터
Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol.138, No.48, 15535-15538, 2016
Cationic Polymerization of Vinyl Ethers Controlled by Visible Light
Photoinitiated cationic polymerizations are widely used in industrial processes; however, gaining photocontrol over chain growth would expand the utility of these methods and facilitate the design of novel complex architectures. We report herein a cationic polymerization regulated by visible light. This polymerization proceeds under mild conditions: a combination of a metal-free photocatalyst, a chain-transfer agent, and light irradiation enables the synthesis of various poly(vinyl ether)s with good control over molecular weight and dispersity as well as excellent chain-end fidelity. Significantly, photoreversible cation formation in this system enables efficient control over polymer chain growth with light.