Expanding the Alternating Propagation–Chain Transfer-Based Polymerization Toolkit: The Iodo–Ene Reaction

Analogous to the thiol-ene and phosphane-ene polymerizations, radical-mediated iodo-ene reactions are described here that proceed via alternating propagation and chain transfer (i.e., APT) reactions between perfluoroiodide- and vinyl-bearing monomers. The thermal polymerization of a diiodo/tetraene formulation yielded a cross-linked, homogeneous polymer that was approximately seven times as radiopaque as aluminum owing to its high iodine content. Visible-light photopolymerizations of model iodo-ene monomers were monitored using mid-IR spectroscopy, revealing that the perfluoroiodide functional group consumption exceeded that of the vinyl, a discrepancy that decreased with increasing irradiation intensities and hence polymerization rates. The functional group conversions in resin formulations with a large initial perfluoroiodide excess exacerbated secondary side reactions that led to off-stoichiometric functional group consumption; nevertheless, photopolymerization of resin formulations with excess vinyl stoichiometry proceeded according to the ideal APT mechanism.