Living radical polymerization of butyl methacrylate by a reverse ATRP process

A new effecient catalyst system (FeCl3/2PPh(3)) for the "living"/controlled radical polymerization of butyl methacrylate by a reverse ATRP process was reported in this paper. With the presence of this catalyst system, the number-average molecular weights of the obtained polymer increased in direct proportion with monomer conversion, and the MWDs ( molecular weight disetributions) were narrow throughout the reactions ( 1.17 < (M) over bar (w) / (M) over bar (n) < 1. 22). Ibis reaction system did not include the conventional initiators which were used to generate the primary radicals.