Supported nickel bromide catalyst for Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP) of methyl methacrylate

A new supported catalytic system, i.e. nickel bromide catalyst ligated by triphenylphosphine (TPP) ligands immobilized onto crosslinked polystyrene resins (PS-TPP) is reported. Per se, this catalyst does not allow any control over the polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) initiated by ethyl 2-bromoisobutyrate but, in the presence of a given amount of purposely added free TPP, it promotes controlled ATRP of MMA. Indeed colorless PMMA chains of low polydispersity indices are readily recovered, the molecular weight of which linearly increases with monomer conversion and agrees with the expected values. Recycling of the supported catalyst is evidenced and does not prevent the polymerization from being controlled.