Copolymerization of methyl methacrylate with lauryl methacrylate using group transfer polymerization

The syntheses of random and block copolymers (using sequential monomer addition) of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and lauryl methacrylate (LMA) have been investigated by group transfer polymerization (GTP) over a wide composition range using tetrabutylammonium bibenzoate (TBABB) as catalyst and 1-methoxy-1-(trimethylsiloxy)-2-methyl-1-propene (MTS) as initiator in tetrahydrofuran (THF) at room temperature. The absolute molecular weight of the copolymers were determined by SEC-MALLS. The observed molecular weights were generally higher than the calculated molecular weights. However, the molecular weight distributions were very narrow (1.02–1.1). Use of trimethylsilyl benzoate as a “livingness enhancer” improved the livingness of the first block (PLMA) and block copolymers with no detectable contamination of homopolymer. Statistical copolymers of MMA and LMA were prepared, and the reactivity ratios of the two monomers under the defined conditions were determined.