title: Facile iron-mediated dispersant-free suspension polymerization of methyl methacrylate via reverse ATRP in water.
abstract: An iron-mediated reverse ATRP of methyl methacrylate (MMA) is successfully carried out in water in the absence of any dispersants, using a water-soluble 2,2'-azobis(2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride (V-50) as the initiator and the stabilizer, and using an oil-soluble N,N-butyldithiocarbamate ferrum (Fe(S2 CN(C4 H9 )2 )3 ) as the catalyst without adding any additional ligands. Micron-sized PMMA particles with UV light-sensitive -S2 CN(C4 H9 )2 end group are obtained, and monomer droplet nucleation and suspension polymerization mechanism are proposed. Polymerization results demonstrated typical "living"/controlled characteristics of ATRP: first-order polymerization kinetics, linear increase of molecular weights with monomer conversion and narrow molecular weight distributions for the resultant PMMA particles. NMR spectroscopy and chain-extension experiments under UV light irradiation confirm the attachment and livingness of UV light-sensitive -S2 CN(C4 H9 )2 group in the chain end.
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Design and Application, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Lifen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiaowu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Chun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Xiaoning
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ke
authors.forename: Xiangqiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Zhenping
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Xiulin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry*; D007700:Kinetics; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D020366:Methylmethacrylate / Q000737:chemistry*; D058105:Polymerization; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry; D013859:Thiocarbamates / Q000737:chemistry*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D005290:Ferric Compounds; D012997:Solvents; D013859:Thiocarbamates; D014867:Water; D020366:Methylmethacrylate; D007501:Iron
keywords: dispersant free; iron catalyst; reverse ATRP; suspension polymerization