RAFT Polymerization

RAFT Polymerization

Overall Score4.5
  • Importance in Polymer Science
  • General Characteristics

RAFT (Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer) is a type of controlled living radical polymerization methods.

By using thiocarbonyl compounds as the chian transfer agent for free-radical polymerization, polymers with a narrow molecular weight distribution range can be synthesized.

Highly functionalized monomers can be used and the polymerization works in water as well. Unlike ATRP (Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization), RAFT system is free of halogens and heavy metals and also capable of functionalizing both ends of polymers.

Thanks to these characteristics, RAFT is considered as a promising technology for the synthesis of biocompatible materials.

  • General References

・ Chiefari, J.; Chong, Y. K.; Ercole, F.; Krstina, J.; Jeffery, K.; Le, T. P. T.; Mayadunne, R. T. A.; Meijs, G. F.; Moad, C. L.; Moad, G.; Rizzardo, E.; Thang, S. H. Macromolecules 1998, 31, 5559. DOI: 10.1021/ma9804951
・ Moad, G.; Rizzardo, E.; Thang, S. H. Aust. J. Chem. 2005, 58, 379. doi:10.1071/CH05072

<Reviews>
・Moad, G.; Rizzardo, E.; Thang, S. H. Polymer 2008, 49, 1079. doi:10.1016/j.polymer.2007.11.020
・Semsarilar, M.; Perrier, S. Nat. Chem. 2010, 2, 811. doi: 10.1038/nchem.853
・Moad, G.; Rizzardo, E.; Thang, S. H. Chem. Asian J. 2013, 8, 1634. DOI: 10.1002/asia.201300262
・Keddle, D. J. Chem. Soc. Rev. 2014, 43, 496. DOI: 10.1039/C3CS60290G

  • Reaction Mechanism

RAFT_2.gif

  • Examples

  • Movies

  • Related Books

  • External Links

Reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer polymerization – Wikipedia

RAFT Polymerization Lecture (Sigma-Aldrich)

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