Controlled radical copolymerization of N-vinylpyrrolidone with 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropyl-alpha-fluoroacrylate

Narrow disperse copolymers of N-vinylpyrrolidone with 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropyl-alpha-fluoroacrylate have been prepared for the first time by reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer pseudo-living radical polymerization in the presence of benzyl dithiobenzoate. The relative activities of the monomers indicating the occurrence of alternating copolymerization have been estimated. The copolymerization of equimolar N-vinylpyrrolidone-1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropyl-alpha-fluoroacrylate mixtures shows typical features of reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer pseudoliving radical polymerization: deceleration of polymerization compared to the classical radical process, degeneration of the gel effect, successive increase in the number-average molecular mass with conversion, and formation of narrow disperse copolymers.