Atom transfer radical polymerization of vinyl monomers in the presence of 1,4-bis(alpha-chloroacetyloy)benzene/CuCl/bipyridyl

A new kind of initiation systems of "Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization" (ATRP) for vinyl monomers is presented. The 1,4-bis(alpha-chloroacetyloxy) benzene has been prepared by typical esterification, The vinyl monomers suc h as styrene can undergo radical polymerization via ATRP mechanism in the p resence of the initiators as titled. It has been observed that the molecula r weight of polymer increases in linear proportion with monomer conversion to polymers and the polymerization is controllable. The enlargement of mole cular weight of polystyrene formed by ATRP can be achieved via second round polymerizations of styrene monomers and the initiators. Prelimenary experi ments on the block copolymerization of styrene methyl acrylate or butyl acr ylate in the presence of polystyrene with chloro end groups obtained via AT RP have been successfully performed.