ISSN: 1945-7553
CODEN: JTEVAB
Published Online: 9 June 2011
Page Count: 7

The Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate in Ionic Liquid Media of 1-Methylimidazolium Alkyltes

Ma, Fumin
Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Resources Reuse and School of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Huangshi Institute of Technology, Huangshi,

Li, Wen
Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Resources Reuse and School of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Huangshi Institute of Technology, Huangshi,

Lai, Guoqiao
Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology of Ministry of Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou,

Guo, Jianlin
Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Resources Reuse and School of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Huangshi Institute of Technology, Huangshi,

Ruan, Min
Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Resources Reuse and School of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Huangshi Institute of Technology, Huangshi,

Qin, Wanguang
Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Resources Reuse and School of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Huangshi Institute of Technology, Huangshi,

(Received 6 February 2011; accepted 15 April 2011)

Abstract

Three brønsted acidic ionic liquids, 1-methylimidazolium acetate ([Hmim][CH₃COO]), 1-methylimidazolium propionate ([Hmim][CH₃CH₂COO]) and 1-methylimidazolium butyrate ([Hmim][CH₃CH₂CH₂COO]) were used as reaction medium for atom transfer radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate with ethyl 2-bromoisobutyrate (EBiB)/CuBr as the initiating system. Kinetic studies, chain extension and block copolymerization confirmed the well-controlled manner of these polymerizations in three brønsted acidic ionic liquids. The reactions were fast and the polydispersities of the polymers were quite narrow (1.10<Mw/Mn<1.34). The rate of polymerization in [Hmim][RCOO] decreased with the increasing alkyl chain lengths (n from 1 to 3), indicating a strong dependence of reaction rate on the length of the substituted groups of the anions in ionic liquids.

Keywords:
brønsted acidic ionic liquids, ATRP, 1-methylimidazolium carboxylate

Paper ID: JTE103768
DOI: 10.1520/JTE103768
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