Catalysis

Polymerization

Polymer chemistry

Photochemistry

Materials science

Chain transfer

Reversible addition−fragmentation chain-transfer polymerization

Polymer

Cationic polymerization

Organic chemistry

Radical polymerization

Raft

Manganese

Vinyl ether

Chemistry

Molar mass distribution

Bromide

Monomer

ACS Macro Letters

We present a robust manganese-catalyzed cationic reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization induced by visible light. Well-defined poly(vinyl ether)s with controlled molecular weight and molecular weight distributions (MWDs) can be conveniently prepared at room temperature without monomer purification. The commercially available manganese carbonyl bromide is used as the photocatalyst for cationic RAFT polymerization. Moreover, this method has been further applied in both batch and continuous flow systems, providing a visible light induced flow cationic polymerization under mild conditions.

Manganese-Catalyzed Batch and Continuous Flow Cationic RAFT Polymerization Induced by Visible Light