Macromolecular Rapid Communications, Vol.18, No.11, 967-974, 1997
Transition metal catalyzed Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP): from heterogeneous to homogeneous catalysis using 1,1O-phenantroline and its derivatives as new copper(I) ligands
Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP) of styrene is investigated in both heterogeneous and homogeneous media using 1-phenylethyl chloride (1-PECl)/CuCl/1,10-phenantroline and derivatives as initiating systems. Using a 1-PECl/CuCl/4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenantroline system in 1,2-dimethoxybenzene as a solvent at 130 degrees C, homogeneous ATRP of styrene leads to polymers with polydispersities down to 1,1. These new systems are compared with previously described 4,4'-disubstituted 2,2'-bipyridine-based systems in terms of kinetics and quality of control.