Synthesis and Characterization of Polymers Containing Azobenzene Chromophoric Group by ATRP

The 4‐(4‐phenylazo‐phenylazo)‐phenyl 2‐bromopropionate (PPBP) was used as an initiator for atom transfer radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and styrene (St) in the presence of CuCl/N,N,N,N,N″‐pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (PMDETA) at 90°C. The results showed that the polymerizations of MMA in different solvents were well controlled with a linear increase of molecular weights with conversion and relatively low polydispersities. However, the polymerization rate of St was much slower and polydispersity was relatively greater than that of MMA. Azobenzene end‐capped polymers with predetermined molecular weights and low polydispersities (PDI<1.3) were obtained and characterized by ¹H NMR and UV‐Vis spectroscopy. In addition, copolymer of PMMA‐b‐PSt functionalized with azobenzene chromophoric group at the chain end of polymer was prepared via a chain‐extension process.

Keywords:

• azobenzene
• UV‐Vis
• ATRP

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Science and Technology Development Planning of Jiangsu Province (no. BG2004018) and Suzhou (no. SG0413).