Supported atom transfer radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate mediated by CuBr–tetraethyldiethylenetriamine grafted onto silica gel

Silica‐gel particles grafted with tetraethyldiethylenetriamine were synthesized as support for CuBr for the heterogeneous atom transfer radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA). The immobilized CuBr mediated a living polymerization of MMA, demonstrated by an increase in molecular weight with conversion and low polydispersity. An excessive amount of catalyst (typically, CuBr/initiator = 1.5) was required to achieve a living process …