Emerging Concepts in Iodine Transfer Polymerization

Controlled radical polymerization corresponds to variety of synthetic strategies that aim the generation of precise macromolecular architectures. Iodine transfer polymerization (ITP) is one of the oldest methods to conduct controlled radical polymerization; however, it seems to have lost visibility compared to other popular techniques. It relies on utilization of iodine species in reversible deactivation kinetics, and it has some significant advantages compared to other methods. Its simplicity, minimized toxicity, metal-free nature, no coloring on final product, and ease of purification provide widespread applicability, even in industry. In this perspective, the basics of ITP are re-introduced, and emerging technologies (heterophase polymerization, photoinitiation, and sustainability) in ITP are discussed.