Research Seminar Abstract
Photoinduced organocatalyzed atom transfer radical polymerization (O-ATRP) is a new polymerization methodology that relies on excitation of a photocatalyst to operate an oxidative quenching photoredox catalytic cycle and produce well-defined polymers. Central to the development of O-ATRP has been the design and study of strongly reducing organic photocatalysts, particularly in the context of methacrylate monomer polymerizations. However, as a burgeoning methodology, the full scope of O-ATRP has not yet been established. In this presentation, I discuss how features of the oxidative quenching mechanistic cycle have inspired the expansion and utility of O-ATRP, including manipulation of the photoexcitation process through adaptation to continuous flow reactors, the effect of multifunctional initiators for star polymer synthesis on activation, and directed design of improved catalysts for polymerization of monomers with high rates for polymerization propagation.