Highly Living Stars via Core-First Photo-RAFT Polymerization: Exploitation for Ultra-High Molecular Weight Star Synthesis

ACS Macro Lett. 2019 Oct 15;8(10):1291-1295. doi: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.9b00643. Epub 2019 Sep 20.

Abstract

Star polymers are highly functional materials that display unique properties in comparison to linear polymers, making them valuable in a wide range of applications. Currently, ultra-high molecular weight (UHMW) star polymers synthesized using controlled radical polymerization are prone to termination reactions that have undesirable effects, such as star-star coupling. Herein, we report the synthesis of the largest star polymers to date using controlled radical techniques via xanthate-mediated photo-reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization using a core-first approach. Polymerization from xanthate-functionalized cores was highly living, enabling the synthesis of well-defined star polymers with molecular weights in excess of 20 MDa.