title: A coumarin dimer probe of mechanochemical scission efficiency in the sonochemical activation of chain-centered mechanophore polymers.
abstract: Here we present a coumarin dimer (CD) mechanophore that, when embedded near the mid-chain of poly(methyl acrylate) polymers, activates under pulsed ultrasound conditions to yield coumarin chain-end functional polymers. Quantitative photochemical scission of the CD polymers provides a reference against which the activation efficiency of chain-centered mechanophores in polymers synthesized by controlled/living radical polymerization (CRP) can be assessed. Activation efficiency is characterized with respect to the polymer molecular weight (MW), polydispersity index (PDI), and distribution of mechanophores along the backbone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Duke University, French Family Science Center, Durham, NC 27708-0346, USA. stephen.craig@duke.edu.
authors.forename: Zachary S
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Kean
authors.forename: Gregory R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Gossweiler
authors.forename: Tatiana B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Kouznetsova
authors.forename: Gihan B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Hewage
authors.forename: Stephen L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Craig