title: Precision design of ethylene- and polar-monomer-based copolymers by organometallic-mediated radical polymerization.
abstract: The copolymerization of ethylene with polar monomers is a major challenge when it comes to the manufacture of materials with potential for a wide range of commercial applications. In the chemical industry, free-radical polymerization is used to make a large proportion of such copolymers, but the forcing conditions result in a lack of fine control over the architecture of the products. Herein we introduce a synthetic tool, effective under mild experimental conditions, for the precision design of unprecedented ethylene- and polar-monomer-based copolymers. We demonstrate how an organocobalt species can control the growth of the copolymer chains, their composition and the monomer distribution throughout the chain. By fine tuning the ethylene pressure during polymerization and by exploiting a unique reactive mode of the end of the organometallic chain, novel block-like copolymer structures can be prepared. This highly versatile synthetic platform provides access to a diverse range of polymer materials.
authors.affiliation: Center for Education and Research on Macromolecules, Chemistry Department, University of Liège, Sart-Tilman, B6a, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kermagoret
authors.affiliation: Center for Education and Research on Macromolecules, Chemistry Department, University of Liège, Sart-Tilman, B6a, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Antoine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Debuigne
authors.affiliation: Center for Education and Research on Macromolecules, Chemistry Department, University of Liège, Sart-Tilman, B6a, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jérôme
authors.affiliation: Center for Education and Research on Macromolecules, Chemistry Department, University of Liège, Sart-Tilman, B6a, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Detrembleur
mesh_terms: D005030:Ethylenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D058105:Polymerization; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D005030:Ethylenes; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D011108:Polymers; C036216:ethylene