Trigonal bipyramidal molecular geometry

Ligand (biochemistry)

Physics

Pathology

Kinetics

Atom-transfer radical-polymerization

Monomer

Receptor

Organic chemistry

Polymer chemistry

Reactivity (psychology)

Crystal structure

Catalysis

Medicinal chemistry

Chemistry

Alternative medicine

Methyl methacrylate

Methyl acrylate

Polymerization

Quantum mechanics

Polymer

Biochemistry

Medicine

Photochemistry

Reaction rate constant

Journal of the American Chemical Society

The tris[(4-dimethylaminopyridyl)methyl]amine (TPMANMe2) as a ligand for copper-catalyzed atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) is reported. In solution, the [CuI(TPMANMe2)Br] complex shows fluxionality by variable-temperature NMR, indicating rapid ligand exchange. In the solid state, the [CuII(TPMANMe2)Br][Br] complex exhibits a slightly distorted trigonal bipyramidal geometry (τ = 0.89). The UV-vis spectrum of [CuII(TPMANMe2)Br]+ salts is similar to those of other pyridine-based ATRP catalysts. Electrochemical studies of [Cu(TPMANMe2)]2+ and [Cu(TPMANMe2)Br]+ showed highly negative redox potentials (E1/2 = -302 and -554 mV vs SCE, respectively), suggesting unprecedented ATRP catalytic activity. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) in the presence of methyl 2-bromopropionate (MBrP; acrylate mimic) was used to determine activation rate constant ka = 1.1 × 106 M-1 s-1, confirming the extremely high catalyst reactivity. In the presence of the more active ethyl α-bromoisobutyrate (EBiB; methacrylate mimic), total catalysis was observed and an activation rate constant ka = 7.2 × 106 M-1 s-1 was calculated with values of KATRP ≈ 1. ATRP of methyl acrylate showed a well-controlled polymerization using as little as 10 ppm of catalyst relative to monomer, while side reactions such as CuI-catalyzed radical termination (CRT) could be suppressed due to the low concentration of L/CuI at a steady state.

Synthesis and Characterization of the Most Active Copper ATRP Catalyst Based on Tris[(4-dimethylaminopyridyl)methyl]amine