Macromolecular Rapid Communications, Vol.25, No.19, 1697-1702, 2004
Electron transfer reactions of radical anions with TEMPO: A versatile route for transformation of living anionic polymerization into stable radical-mediated polymerization
The possibility of transforming a living anionic polymerization into a stable radical-mediated radical polymerization (SFRP) was demonstrated. For this purpose, 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxyI (TEMPO) alcoholate, formed by a one-electron redox reaction between potassium naphthalene and TEMPO, was used to initiate the living anionic polymerization of ethylene oxide (EO). Poly(ethylene oxide) obtained in this way possessed TEMPO terminal units and was subsequently used as an initiator for the SFRP of styrene to give block copolymers.
Keywords:anionic polymerization;block copolymers;radical anion;radical polymerization;2,2,6,6-tetramethylpipei-idine-N-oxyl