Atom-transfer radical polymerization of acrylates in an ionic liquid

Communication: The atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of acrylates in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate was investigated. The s olubility of the acrylates in the ionic liquid depends on the substituent. The homogeneous polymerization of methyl acrylate gives polymers with (M) o ver bar (n) close to the calculated value and relatively narrow polydispers ity. In heterogeneous polymerizations of higher acrylates, with the catalys t present in the ionic liquid phase, deviations from ideal behavior are obs erved although the polymerization of butyl acrylate approaches the conditio ns of a controlled polymerization.