Synthesis of well‐defined syndiotactic poly(methyl methacrylate) with low‐temperature atom transfer radical polymerization in fluoroalcohol

The copper‐mediated atom transfer radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) in 1,1,1,3,3,3‐hexafluoro‐2‐propanol (HFIP) was studied to simultaneously control the molecular weight and tacticity. The polymerization using tris[2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl]amine (Me6TREN) as a ligand was performed even at −78°C with a number‐average molecular weight (Mn) of 13,400 and a polydispersity (weight‐average molecular weight/number‐average molecular weight) of 1.31, although the measured Mn's were much higher than the theoretical ones. The addition of copper(II) bromide (CuBr2) apparently affected the early stage of the polymerization; that is, the polymerization could proceed in a controlled manner under the condition of [MMA]0/[methyl α‐bromoisobutyrate]0/[CuBr]0/[CuBr2]0/[Me6TREN]0 = 200/1/1/0.2/1.2 at −20°C with an MMA/HFIP ratio of 1/4 (v/v). For the field desorption mass spectrum of CuIBr/Me6TREN in HFIP, there were [Cu(Me6TREN)Br]+ and [Cu(Me6TREN)OCH(CF3)2]+, indicating that HFIP should coordinate to the CuI/Me6TREN complex. The syndiotacticity of the obtained poly(methyl methacrylate)s increased with the decreasing polymerization temperature; the racemo content was 84% for −78°C, 77% for −30°C, 75% for −20°C, and 63% for 30°C.