Free radical (co)polymerization of methyl methacrylate and styrene in room temperature ionic liquids

Conventional free radical polymerizations were carried out in a variety of room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs). Generally, methyl methacrylate (MMA) and styrene (St) were used as typical monomers to compare the polymerization behavior both in RTILs and in common volatile organic compound solvents (VOCs). In most cases, it was observed that both yields and molecular weights are enhanced in the RTIL. While we believe the "diffusion-controlled termination" mechanism makes the termination of the radical propagating chains difficult due to the highly viscous nature of RTIL, other researchers have suggested that the rapid polymerization rates are due to the high polarity of these reaction media.; By employing more than a dozen RTILs with a wide range of anions and cations, we attempted to correlate the viscosity and polarity of the RTILs with the molecular weights and polymerization rates. This correlation was not successful, suggesting that other parameters may also play a role in affecting the polymerization behavior.; Other kinds of polymerizations have also been attempted including nitroxide-mediated living radical polymerizations of St and MMA in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([BMIM]PF6), and redox initiation system initiated polymerization of MMA through redox pair formed by cation of trihexyl-tetradecyl-phosphonium bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl) phosphinate ([H3TDP] [(PM3) 2P]) and BPO.; The formation of PSt-b-PMMA by sequential monomer addition through the standard free radical polymerization mechanism, using BPO as initiator, can be realized in [BMIM]PF6 due to the insolubility of polymerized first block---PSt in [BMIM]PF6. The macroradicals wrapped inside the chain coils have prolonged lifetimes because of the diminished termination, which allow some of these radicals to initiate polymerization of MMA at room temperature to form diblock copolymer.; Solvents effects on reactivity ratios for free radical statistical copolymerization have been observed on comparing reactivity ratios in [BMIM]PF6 to those in common organic solvents such as benzene. The calculated reactivity ratios of St and MMA in [BMIM]PF6 by a non-linear method (CONTOUR computer program) are significantly different from those in benzene at 60°C. The "boot-strap" model, polarity of the solvents, interactions between solvent and monomers (e.g. solvent-monomer complex), viscosity and system heterogeneity all possibly contribute to the difference of the reactivity ratios in RTILs and in benzene.