Multidentate Ligand for Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization

Tris[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]amine (Me₆TREN) (1) is an efficient multidentate ligand for atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). ATRP is the metal catalyzed polymerization which enables exact control for preparation of polymers with predetermined molecular weights and narrow molecular weight distributions. A Cu(I) complex coordinated with 1 is the active species and transforms alkyl halides into a radical species by a one-electron reduction and the radical species acts to polymerize with monomers. Also, a Cu(II) complex coordinated with 1, generated by one electron oxidation, transforms the polymer growth terminal into a dormant species by a one-electron reduction-promoted halogen atom transfer. ATRP is completed by repeating a series of reactions.
In this ATRP, it is enough for the polymerization to proceed with only a few ppm of Cu(I) complex (ca. 1/1000 – 1/10000 amounts of typical ATRP). So it is expected that ATRP using 1 can be applied to not only research, but also to industry.