Tuning Polymer Molecular Weight Distribution in Cationic RAFT Polymerization by Mixing Chain Transfer Agents†

Comprehensive Summary Polymer dispersity ( Đ ) or molecular weight distribution (MWD) is a basic but vital parameter for the properties of polymeric materials. Developing new methodologies for controlling polymer MWD is emerging as a research hotspot. However, the methods to tune polymer MWD in cationic polymerization are still not well explored. Herein, we present a simple method to control the dispersity of poly(isobutyl vinyl ether) (PIBVE) by mixing two different chain transfer agents in batch visible light induced cationic RAFT polymerization. A broad dispersity range ( Đ ≈ 1.16—1.80) was successfully achieved while maintaining monomodal MWD. Moreover, chain extension of PIBVE through both cationic polymerization and radical polymerization has been studied, which also provides a method to tune polymer MWD in mechanism transformation polymerization.