title: Aqueous copper-mediated living radical polymerisation of N-acryloylmorpholine, SET-LRP in water.
abstract: The polymerisation of N-acryloylmorpholine in water is reported utilising Cu(0)-mediated living radical polymerisation (SET-LRP). The inherent instability of [Cu(I) (Me6-Tren)Br] in aqueous solution is exploited via rapid disproportionation to prepare Cu(0) particles and [Cu(II) (Me6-Tren)Br2 ] in situ prior to addition of monomer and initiator. Quantitative conversion is attained within 30 min for various degrees of polymerisation (DPn = 20-640) with SEC showing symmetrical narrow molecular weight distributions (Đ < 1.18) in all cases. Optimised conditions are subsequently applied for the preparation of a diblock copolymer poly(NIPAm)-b-(N-acryloylmorpholine), illustrating the versatility of this approach.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, CV4 7AL, Coventry, UK.
authors.forename: Athina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anastasaki
authors.forename: Alice J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Haddleton
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Simula
authors.forename: Martijn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Droesbeke
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Haddleton
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry*; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000737:chemistry*; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D009025:Morpholines / Q000737:chemistry*; D058105:Polymerization; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D005609:Free Radicals; D009025:Morpholines; D011108:Polymers; D014867:Water; D003300:Copper; C037574:morpholine
keywords: ATRP; SET-LRP; biocompatible; living radical polymerisation; poly(N-acryloylmorpholine)