James B. McLeary

RAFT mediated polymerisation in heterogeneous media

Reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) mediated polymerisation is one of a number of living radical polymerisation processes that were developed over the last decade. The RAFT process is facilitating the synthesis of controlled macromolecular architectures radical polymerisation in homogeneous and heterogeneous media. Here we discuss the progress in the use of the RAFT process, the past, the state of the art and potential directions for the future with specific emphasis on heterogeneous reactions.

Investigation into the Initialization Behaviour of RAFT-Mediated Styrene-Maleic Anhydride Copolymerizations

The living radical alternating copolymerization of styrene and maleic anhydride mediated by the reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization process has been studied at short chain lengths using two different dithiobenzoate RAFT agents. The results indicate specificity of addition of the RAFT-agent leaving groups for either styrene or maleic anhydride. The addition rate of the monomers and the fact that monomers are added individually favour the penultimate unit model of polymer propagation.

Dibenzyl penta­thio­dicarbonate

In the title compound, C16H14S5, the non-bonded intramolecular distances between the non-terminal S atoms are 2.808 (16) and 2.784 (16) Å, shorter than the typical distance of 2.9 Å. One phenyl ring participates in an offset π-π interaction with another phenyl ring related by a centre of inversion; the interplanar distance is 3.41 (2) Å. The crystal structure also exhibits edge-to-face C—H⋯π stacking of the phenyl rings, thus forming a herring-bone packing motif.