Stereoregular Polymerization of Methylmethacrylate by Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization

Methyl methacrylate (MMA) was polymerized by the atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) method to obtain living low molecular weight polymers. The initiator was p‐toluenesulfonylchloride and the catalyst ligand complex system was CuCl‐4,4′ dimethyl 2,2′bipyridine. Polymers with controlled molecular weight were obtained. The polymer chains were shown by NMR spectrum to be mostly syndiotactic. The molecular weight distributions were measured by the GPC method. The K and α constants in [η]=KM^α equation were measured as 9.13×10⁻⁵ and 0.74, respectively. FT‐IR and X‐Ray results showed steororegularity in polymer chains. The thermal properties were studied by DSC and molecular weight‐glass transition temperature relations were determined.

Keywords:

• controlled living polymerization
• ATRP
• methyl methacrylate
• GPC
• monodispersed polymer