Sono‐RAFT Polymerization in Aqueous Medium

• Published in: Angewandte Chemie International Edition Vol. 56; no. 40; pp. 12302 - 12306
• Main Authors: McKenzie, Thomas G., Colombo, Enrico, Fu, Qiang, Ashokkumar, Muthupandian, Qiao, Greg G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 25-09-2017
• Edition: International ed. in English
• Subjects: Addition polymerization; Chain transfer; controlled polymerization; hydroxyl radicals; Irradiation; Monomers; Polymerization; Radiation; RAFT polymerization; Reagents; sonochemistry; RAFT polymerization; sonochemistry; controlled polymerization; hydroxyl radicals
• ISSN: 1433-7851; 1521-3773
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.201706771

The ultrasonic irradiation of aqueous solution is demonstrated to be a suitable source of initiating radicals for a controlled radical polymerization when conducted in the presence of a thiocarbonylthio‐containing reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) agent. This allows for a highly “green” method of externally regulated/controlled polymerization with a potentially broad scope for polymerizable monomers and/or polymer structures.
Make some noise: A sonochemically induced RAFT polymerization with efficient temporal control is demonstrated using high‐frequency ultrasound. Unlike the low frequencies used in mechanically induced polymerizations the high frequency employed produces very little shear force, potentially avoiding chain‐breaking “depolymerization” events.