Fabrication of Structurally Controlled Poly(n-butyl acrylate) Particles byAb InitioEmulsion Organotellurium-Mediated Radical Polymerization. Synthesis of High Molecular Weight Homo and Block Copolymers

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High molecular weight (HMW) poly(butyl acrylate)s (PBAs) and diblock copolymers consisting of PBA blocks were synthesized by ab initio emulsion polymerization using water-soluble organotellurium chain transfer agents (CTAs) in water. HMW PBAs with an average molecular weight ( M n ) up to 5 × 10 5 and low dispersity ( Đ < 1.5) were synthesized by controlling the hydrophobicity of the CTAs and surfactants. The polymerization reached >90% monomer conversion while maintaining low viscosity due to stable latex formation, and diblock copolymers were easily synthesized by adding the second monomer to a latex consisting of macroinitiators. While the presence of a termination reaction has often limited the synthesis of HMW polymers by reversible deactivation radical polymerization, high end group fidelity was confirmed under the current conditions through block copolymer synthesis.