A new polymerizable photoiniferter for preparing poly(methyl methacrylate) macromonomer

A new polymerizable photoiniferter containing the vinyl group, β-methacrylyoxylethyl 2-N,N-diethyldithiocarbamylacetate (MAEDCA), was prepared and used for initiating methyl methacrylate (MMA) polymerization in bulk and in benzene under UV light. The resultant Poly(MMA)-macromonomer bearing α-methacrylyoxylethyloxycarbonylmethyl and ω-N,N-diethyldithiocarbamyl end groups was produced. The molecular weight of the macromonomer depended on the conversion of MMA and concentration of MAEDCA. Characteristic results show that the bulk polymerization of MMA with MAEDCA proceeded as a “living” process at low monomer conversion. The “living” polymerization mechanism is proposed on the basis of radical trapping and electron paramagnetic resonance studies. The formation of graft copolymer PSt-graft-PMMA by copolymerization of PMMA-macromonomer with styrene is also performed.