Olefin copolymerization using atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP)

Olefin copolymers of alpha-olefins with polar monomers with various architectures remain an ultimate goal in polyolefin engineering. The present paper is a more detailed study on the copolymn. of alpha-olefins (1-octene) with acrylates (Me acrylate). Comparison of reaction kinetics between free radical polymn. (FRP) and atom transfer radical polymn. (ATRP), monomer feed compn., ligand influence and chem. compn. distribution (CCD) using mass spectrometry, were studied. Copolymn. of Me acrylate and 1-octene using both FRP and ATRP, resulted in copolymers constituting almost 25 mol% 1-octene. Increasing the mol% of the olefin in the monomer feed, led to an increase in the level of incorporation of the olefin in the copolymer. Controlled CCD was obtained for the copolymers produced by ATRP, since, during FRP significant side reactions occurred. The copolymn. under ATRP conditions could be conducted using various ligand systems.