Reversible addition-fragmentation metallic

While in most of the reports on SIP free radical polymerization is utihzed, the restricted synthetic possibihties and lack of control of the polymerization in terms of the achievable variation of the polymer brush architecture limited its use. The alternatives for the preparation of weU-defined brush systems were hving ionic polymerizations. Recently, controlled radical polymerization techniques has been developed and almost immediately apphed in SIP to prepare stracturally weU-de-fined brush systems. This includes living radical polymerization using nitroxide species such as 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidin-l-oxyl (TEMPO) [285], reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization mainly utilizing dithio-carbamates as iniferters (iniferter describes a molecule that functions as an initiator, chain transfer agent and terminator during polymerization) [286], as well as atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) were the free radical is formed by a reversible reduction-oxidation process of added metal complexes [287]. All techniques rely on the principle to drastically reduce the number of free radicals by the formation of a dormant species in equilibrium to an active free radical. By this the characteristic side reactions of free radicals are effectively suppressed. 

The need to better control surface-initiated polymerization recently led to the development of controlled radical polymerization techniques. The trick is to keep the concentration of free radicals low in order to decrease the number of side reactions. This is achieved by introducing a dormant species in equilibrium with the active free radical. Important reactions are the living radical polymerization with 2,2,4,4-methylpiperidine N-oxide (TEMPO) [439], reversible addition fragment chain transfer (RAFT) which utilizes so-called iniferters (a word formed from initiator, chain transfer and terminator) [440], and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) [441-443]. The latter forms radicals by added metal complexes as copper halogenides which exhibit reversible reduction-oxidation processes. 

Concerning the reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, which is a metal free CRP method (Fig. 16) [81-85], several... 

Anionic and later cationic pol3Tnerization gave most of examples of living pol3rmerization systems until recently, when more sophisticated methods of manipulation with free-radical polymerization processes become available. These methods are based on the use of the compounds which reversibly react with propagating radical and convert it to the so-called dormant species . When the equilibrium between the active and dormant species is regulated by special catalysts based on a transition metal, this process is called atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). If this equilibrium is provided by stable radicals such as nitroxides, the process is called stable free-radical polymerization (SFRP). In the case when dormant species are formed via a chain transfer rather than reversible termination reactions, this process is referred to as reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. All these techniques allow to produce macromolecules of desired architecture and molecular masses. 

A. B. Lowe, B. S. Sumerlin, M. S. Donovan, and C. L. McCormick, Facile preparation of transition metal nanoparticles stabilized by well-defined (co)poiymers synthesized via aqueous reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 124, 11562-11563 (2002). 

Enzymatic ROP has also been successfully combined with chemically catalyzed polymerization methods in SCCO2, allowing the formation of block structures. For example, Howdle and coworkers reported a simultaneous use of Novozym 435 with metalblock copolymers of PCL and PMMA [107, 108], whilst a two-step methodology was used to form block copolymers of PCL with poly(fluoro-octyl methacrylates) (PFOMA) [109]. Similar reactions, simultaneously combining reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) with enzymatic ROP to form block copolymers of polystyrene and PCL, have also been performed in SCCO2 [110]. Block copolymer synthesis in SCCO2 has recently been reviewed [111]. 

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