Ambient temperature copper-mediated living radical polymerization of acrylonitrile with Me6TREN as the reducing agent

Graphical A universal high reactive ligand, Me 6 TREN, was successfully explored as the reducing agent for the ambient temperature copper-mediated LRP of AN. The key to success is ascribed to the optimized Me 6 TREN amount and reaction conditions employed, producing ideal living free radical polymerization characteristics. The very high chain-end functionality of the resultant polymer has been confirmed by GPC and 1 H NMR analyses as well as the chain-extension reaction.