TY - JOUR
T1 - Poly(ethylene glycol) as a 'green solvent' for the RAFT polymerization of methyl methacrylate
AU - West, Andrew G.
AU - Barner-Kowollik, Christopher
AU - Perrier, Sébastien
PY - 2010/8
Y1 - 2010/8
N2 - We demonstrate the use of a range of poly(ethylene glycol)s (PEGs) to control the polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) using reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The use of PEG as the solvent (Mn = 4600 g mol-1) resulted in an increase in the rate of the reaction over that of other solvents by a factor of 5 at 60 °C, allowing MMA to be polymerized to high conversions with a DP of 100 much more rapidly than in standard solvents, while maintaining control over the molecular weight with polydispersities as low as 1.05. Interestingly, whilst the same rate increase is seen when polymerizing to a DP of 500, PEG appears to limit the achievable molecular weight to differing degrees depending on its chain length. Advantages of using PEG include its very low toxicity and other environmentally friendly aspects of its nature that allow it to be classed as a 'green' solvent.
AB - We demonstrate the use of a range of poly(ethylene glycol)s (PEGs) to control the polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) using reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The use of PEG as the solvent (Mn = 4600 g mol-1) resulted in an increase in the rate of the reaction over that of other solvents by a factor of 5 at 60 °C, allowing MMA to be polymerized to high conversions with a DP of 100 much more rapidly than in standard solvents, while maintaining control over the molecular weight with polydispersities as low as 1.05. Interestingly, whilst the same rate increase is seen when polymerizing to a DP of 500, PEG appears to limit the achievable molecular weight to differing degrees depending on its chain length. Advantages of using PEG include its very low toxicity and other environmentally friendly aspects of its nature that allow it to be classed as a 'green' solvent.
KW - Green solvents
KW - Living radical polymerization (RAFT)
KW - Polyethylene glycol
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77955327117&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.polymer.2010.06.022
DO - 10.1016/j.polymer.2010.06.022
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:77955327117
SN - 0032-3861
VL - 51
SP - 3836
EP - 3842
JO - Polymer
JF - Polymer
IS - 17
ER -