Polymerization of vinyl monomers using a novel trifunctional iniferter

A novel trifunctional iniferter with photoinduced and thermal chemical dissociation functional groups in one molecule, diethyl 2,3-dicyano-2,3-di(p-N,N-diethyldithiocarbamylmethyl)phenylsuccinate (DDDCS), was successfully synthesized. The bulk polymerizations of styrene and methyl methacrylate initiated by DDDCS under UV-light irradiation and heating, respectively, were studied. The polymerizations proceeded via a living polymerization process in both cases; that is, the conversion and molecular weight of the resulting polymer increased linearly with increased reaction time. The resulting polymers, containing alpha- and omega-N,N-diethyldithiocarbamyl end groups, served as macroiniferters for further block copolymerization. Electron paramagnetic resonance studies showed that DDDCS initiated as a photoiniferter under UV-light irradiation by reversible CS-bond dissociation and as a thermal iniferter under heating by reversible hexasubstituted C-C-bond dissociation. (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.Polymer ScienceSCI(E)EI9ARTICLE112115-21203