Merging of cationic RAFT and radical RAFT polymerizations with ring-opening polymerizations for the synthesis of asymmetric ABCD type tetrablock copolymers in one pot

A new bifunctional and switchable RAFT agent and a mechanism switching strategy were proposed to control the cationic RAFT polymerization, radical RAFT polymerization and ring-opening polymerization of vinyl and cyclic ester monomers and to produce block copolymers.