A Capping Method for Nitrogen Anion Initiated Living Anionic Polymerization for Synthesizing Alkyl Methacrylate Macromonomers

Abstract

Lithium alkylamides are important functional initiators for anionic polymerization of methacrylates, but only sterically hindered ones can initiate a successful living polymerization. A capping method is reported here to modify nitrogen anion initiators (capping reaction) for living anionic polymerization of alkyl methacrylates. Dimethylacrylamide (DMA) and tert-butyl methacrylate (tBMA) were found to be effective capping agents for lithium …