First report of reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerisation in room temperature ionic liquids

Abstract

The Reversible Addition-Fragmentation chain Transfer (RAFT) polymerisation of acrylates, methacrylates and styrene is reported for the first time in room temperature ionic liquids; the acrylate and methacrylate polymerisations show a living character and lead to well-characterised polymers, with narrow polydispersity (< 1.3); in the case of styrene, the insolubility of the polymer in the ionic liquids stops the polymerisation at an early stage.