Synthesis of triphenyl phosphine oxide-containing polymers via atom transfer radical polymerization

Bis[(4 -β-(2-bromopropanoate)ethoxy)phenyl]phenylphosphine oxide was used for the first time as the initiator of atom transfer radical polymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate in the presence of CuBr/N, N,N′, N″, N″-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine as catalyst/ligand and dimethyl sulfoxide as solvent. The presence of phosphine oxide linkages in the backbone gives the polymers special properties; low T_g, high char yield, and decreases the oxygen induction time value. A linear increase of number average molecular weight (M_n) versus monomer conversion was observed, and the molecular weight distribution was relatively narrow (M_w/M _n = 1.1-1.3). FTIR, ¹HNMR, gel permeation chromatography, ultraviolet spectroscopies were used for the characterization of the related polymers. The thermal properties of these polymers were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis.