Versatile Initiators for Macromonomer Syntheses of Acrylates, Methacrylates, and Styrene by Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization

Novel vinyl-containing initiators 2-vinyloxyethyl 2-bromoisobutyrate (VBIB) and 3-vinyloxylpropyl trichloroacetamide (VTCA) were synthesized for the preparation of vinyl-terminated macromonomers of different monomers by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Catalyzed by CuBr/hexamethyltriethylenetetramine (CuBr/HMTETA), the ATRP processes initiated by VBIB (for MMA, DMAEMA, and styrene) and VTCA (for MMA and DMAEMA) followed a …