Synthesis of poly(ethyl acrylate) by single electron transfer-degenerative chain transfer living radical polymerization in water catalyzed by Na2S2O4

Living radical polymerization of ethyl acrylate was achieved by single-electron-transfer/degenerative-chain transfer mediated living radical polymerization in water catalyzed by sodium dithionite. The plots of number-average molecular weight versus conversion and ln[M](0)/[M] versus time are linear, indicating a controlled polymerization. This method leads to the preparation of alpha,omega-di(iodo)poly(ethyl acrylate) (alpha,omega)-di(iodo)PEtA) macroinitiator that can be further functionalized. The molecular weight distributions were determined using a combination of three detectors (TriSEC): right-angle light scattering, a differential viscometer and refractive index. The method studied in this work represents a possible route to prepare well-tailored macromolecules made of ethyl acrylate in environmental friendly reaction medium. To the best of our knowledge there is no previous report dealing with the synthesis of PEtA by any LRP approach in aqueous medium. Furthermore, the method described in this article was successfully applied in pilot scale reactions under industrial production conditions. (C) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.