10-(pyren-1-yl)-10h-phenothiazine and pyrene as organic catalysts for photoinitiated ATRP of 4-vinylpyridine

Abstract

The UV light-mediated metal-free polymerizations of 4-vinylpyridine (4VP) have been successfully performed by using 10-(pyren-1-yl)-10H-phenothiazine (PPTh) and pyrene as photocatalysts. The preparation of narrow polydispersity poly (4-vinyl pyridine) (P4VP) with high conversions was enabled in both protic as well as unprotic reaction media at ambient temperature. Additionally, copolymerizations of 4VP with acrylate and methacrylate monomers were also demonstrated, affording metal-free copolymer products.

Photoinduced Organocatalyzed Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (O-ATRP): Precision Polymer Synthesis Using Organic Photoredox Catalysis

“…193−196 However, work by Nguyen, Truong, and co-workers showed that both PhenS-Py and pyrene can successfully polymerize 4vinylpyridine to high conversions (up to 92%) with good polymerization control (M n = 7.2−14.5 kDa, Đ = 1.1−1.2, I* = 95% to 102%). 197 As such, the polymerization of 4-vinylpyridine by O-ATRP shows promise and warrants further investigation in the future.…”

“…In addition to styrene, the analogous 4-vinylpyridine has also been employed in O-ATRP, although with relatively little emphasis on its controlled polymerization. Generally, this monomer has been employed for the production of self-healing hydrogels through grafting to a range of nanoparticle surfaces, and polymerization control has not been evaluated. − However, work by Nguyen, Truong, and co-workers showed that both PhenS-Py and pyrene can successfully polymerize 4-vinylpyridine to high conversions (up to 92%) with good polymerization control ( M n = 7.2–14.5 kDa, Đ = 1.1–1.2, I * = 95% to 102%) . As such, the polymerization of 4-vinylpyridine by O-ATRP shows promise and warrants further investigation in the future.…”