Group Transfer Polymerization of Acrylic Acid Esters with Alkylthio‐ or Arylthiosilanes as Initiators

Abstract

Living polyacrylates 2 having a narrow range of molecular weights can be prepared with a new kind of initiator. The combination of the alkylthiosilane 1, R1CH2CH2OSiMe3, with a catalyst such as Znl2 in toluene (e.g., R2nBu) is particularly advantageous for this industrially promising process.