Reversible Addition Fragmentation Chain Transfer ( RAFT ) Polymerization: Mechanism, Process and Applications

Abstract The present article gives an overview of the reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) process. RAFT is one of the most versatile living radical polymerization systems and yields polymers of predictable chain length and narrow molecular weight distribution. RAFT relies on the rapid exchange of thiocarbonyl thio groups between growing polymeric chains. The key strengths of the RAFT process for polymer design are its high tolerance of monomer functionality and reaction conditions, the wide range of well‐controlled polymeric architectures achievable, and its (in‐principle) non‐rate‐retarding nature. This article introduces the mechanism of polymerization, the range of polymer molecular weights achievable, the range of monomers in which polymerization is controlled by RAFT, the various polymeric architectures that can be obtained, the type of end‐group functionalities available to RAFT‐made polymers, and the process of RAFT polymerization.