2-Cyanopropan-2-yl N-methyl-N-(pyridin-4-yl)carbamodithioate

Universal (Switchable) RAFT agents allow for the polymerization of both less activated and more activated monomers and are ideal for the synthesis of well-defined block copolymers.

A series of polymerization were carried out using RAFT agents and monomers yielding well-defined polymers with narrow molecular weight distributions. The process allows radical-initiated growing polymer chains to degeneratively transfer reactivity from one to another through the use of key functional groups (dithioesters, trithiocarbonates, xanthates and dithiocarbamates). RAFT agents help to minimize out-of-control growth and prevent unwanted termination events from occurring, effectively controlling polymer properties like molecular weight and polydispersity. RAFT agents are commercially available. RAFT does not use any cytotoxic heavy metal components (unlike ATRP).

The modification of biomacromolecules, such as peptides and proteins, through the attachment of synthetic polymers has led to a new family of highly advanced biomaterials with enhanced properties.

We presents an article about a micro review of reversible addition/fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. RAFT (Reversible Addition/Fragmentation Chain Transfer) polymerization is a reversible deactivation radical polymerization (RDRP) and one of the more versatile methods for providing living characteristics to radical polymerization.

We presents an article featuring procedures that describe polymerization of methyl methacrylate and vinyl acetate homopolymers and a block copolymer as performed by researchers at CSIRO.