Iodine transfer dispersion polymerization with CHI 3 and reversible chain transfer-catalyzed dispersion polymerization with N-iodosuccinimide of methyl methacrylate in supercritical carbon dioxide

Abstract

Iodine transfer dispersion polymerization (dispersion ITP) with CHI 3 and reversible chain transfer-catalyzed dispersion polymerization (dispersion RTCP) with N-iodosuccinimide of methyl methacrylate were performed successfully in supercritical carbon dioxide medium. Both polymerizations proceeded smoothly to 80% conversion in 6 h and yielded the polymeric product as a powder after venting the reactor. In both syntheses, the number-average molecular weights (M n) increased with greater conversion. The ratio (M w /M n) was maintained at comparatively low values throughout the polymerizations; the values of M w /M n were lower in the dispersion RTCP (1.3-1.4) than the dispersion ITP (1.5-1.7). A chain extension test using styrene indicated that the poly(methyl methacrylate) prepared by dispersion ITP and dispersion RTCP had high degrees of livingness (71 and 74%, respectively). © 2012 The Society of Polymer Science, Japan (SPSJ) All rights reserved.