Radical polymerization of methyl acrylate by use of benzyl <i>N, N</i>‐diethyldithiocarbamate in combination with tetraethylthiuram disulfide as a two‐component iniferter

Abstract

Abstract Polymerization of methyl acrylate (MA) with benzyl N, N ‐diethyldithiocarbamate (BDC) was carried out in bulk or in benzene under UV irradiation. The polymerization proceeded to give a high yield of polymer, however it was found that BDC did not function as an iniferter in the MA polymerization. Bimolecular termination leading to deactivation of the iniferter site was observed during the polymerization in preference to chain transfer and primary radical termination which reproduce the iniferter site. The deactivation was successfully prevented by combining BDC and tetraethylthiuram disulfide (TD) as a two‐component iniferter. This two‐component iniferter system was also applied to synthesis of a star polymer with 1,2,4,5‐tetrakis ( N,N ‐diethyldithocarbamylmethyl) benzene (DDC) as a tetrafunctional photoiniferter. © 1994 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Inc.