Aqueous RAFT/MADIX polymerisation of N-vinyl pyrrolidone at ambient temperature

The RAFT/MADIX polymerisation of N-vinyl pyrrolidone was successfully carried out in homogeneous water medium at 25 degrees C using the tert-butyl hydroperoxide/ascorbic acid redox initiator. The controlled character of the polymerisation was confirmed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, SEC and NMR analyses. This finding paves the way for the preparation of novel all-hydrophilic complex copolymer architectures based on poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone).