Kinetic investigation of photoiniferter-RAFT polymerization in continuous flow using inline NMR analysis

Abstract

Photo reversible deactivation radical polymerization and, in particular, photoiniferter-reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (PI-RAFT) polymerization have become popular approaches to polymer synthesis in recent years. There is, however, a lack of fundamental investigations concerning the mechanism and kinetics of such reactions. Herein, we apply an automated continuous flow platform featuring inline NMR analysis that allows for rapid kinetic screening via transient timesweep experiments for detailed investigation of the PI-RAFT of two model monomers with different propagation rates and radical stabilities—methyl acrylate (MA) and methyl methacrylate (MMA). The effect of the stru..