Controlled synthesis of copolymers of vinyl acetate and n-butyl acrylate mediated by trithiocarbonates as reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer agents

Abstract

The formation of copolymers of vinyl acetate and n-butyl acrylate via polymerization mediated by di-tert-butyl trithiocarbonate and dibenzyl trithiocarbonate as reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer agents is studied. Copolymerization mediated by low-molecular-mass reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer agents and by the copolymers formed in their presence proceeds via the pseudoliving mechanism. As a result, the controlled synthesis of narrowly dispersed copolymers of various compositions and desired molecular masses may be implemented. Variation in the compositions of the copolymers with conversion is investigated, and the reactivity ratios of the comonomers are found to differ significantly (r VA = 0.01 and r BA = 5.38). Our experimental data make it possible to infer that gradient copolymers are formed in the systems of interest in a wide range of comonomer mixture compositions.