Reverse atom transfer radical polymerization of MMA via immobilized catalysts in imidazolium ionic liquids

Reverse atom transfer radical polymerization (RATRP) of methyl methacrylate (MMA) employing immobilized catalyst was approached at 50 and 60 degrees C in [C(8)mim]PF6, and compared with the polymerization of MMA DMF as solvent. Other ionic liquids, [C(6)mim]BF4, [C(8)mim]BF4, and [C(12)mim]BF4, were used as solvents to perform the RATRP of MMA. By comparison, we found that the [C(8)mim]PF6 was the best solvent in this immobilized catalyst system and the polymerization was best con-trolled. In addition, the immobilized catalyst spherules can easily separate from the reaction mixture, which avoids the prevalent problem of the catalyst residual in RATRP and also gives us a possibility to recycle the catalyst system. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.