| abstract |
The invention describes a redox initiating system consisting of CuII salts, enolizable aldehydes and ketones, and various combinations of coordinating agents for CuII, coordinating agents for CuI, and a strong amine base that is not oxidized by CuII. In particular, CuII octanoate/dibenzyl ketone/pyridine/triethylamine/triphenylphosphine systems are effective. In addition to initiating free radical polymerizations and copolymerizations, this initiating system can be applied to the synthesis of functionalized telechelics, polymers with ketone linkages in the backbone, block and graft copolymers consisting of free-radical and step-growth polymer blocks, and crosslinking reactions. |