Synthesis of poly(B5AMA) by photoinitiated reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer polymerization

Pamunuwegedara, Hansinee

Honours

2022

Ahmed, Marya

Bachelor of Science

Faculty of Science. Honours in Chemistry

Chemistry

Chemistry

University of Prince Edward Island

Charlottetown, PE

In the last few decades, vitamin B5 analogues have been developed and found to have many useful properties, such as antibacterial and antifouling capabilities. However, these analogues are unstable in physiological conditions, therefore have been used in limited applications. As a result, the development vitamin B5 analogous polymers with more widespread applications was of interest. Previously, vitamin B5 analogous methacrylamide polymers or poly(B5AMA) was synthesized using conventional Show moreIn the last few decades, vitamin B5 analogues have been developed and found to have many useful properties, such as antibacterial and antifouling capabilities. However, these analogues are unstable in physiological conditions, therefore have been used in limited applications. As a result, the development vitamin B5 analogous polymers with more widespread applications was of interest. Previously, vitamin B5 analogous methacrylamide polymers or poly(B5AMA) was synthesized using conventional reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer polymerization (RAFT), which is a controlled radical polymerization method that can be used to obtain polymers with low dispersity. However, the polymers formed using this method were not optically active due to the high temperatures disrupting the polymer structure. This issue can be solved using photo-RAFT, which uses light instead of heat to initiate the reaction. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore Photoiniferter polymerization, which is a type of photo-RAFT techniques that uses a molecule that can act as the chain transfer agent, initiator, and the terminating agent, simultaneously. In this study, Photoiniferter polymerization was used to form well controlled, optically active B5AMA polymers in different conditions such as polymerizing in different light sources, different CTA concentrations and in different solvents. As well, using this technique, polymers of different molecular weights were obtained and studied using gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR). Show less

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