Mechanism and Kinetics of Iodine Transfer Radical Polymerization

Controlled radical polymerization has been introduced by IUPAC as one of the research areas which has grown rapidly in the last decade. Currently، this method has become the main tool of polymer chemists and it has opened a new way towards very exciting fields of macromolecular engineering and nano-technology. Among the various techniques of controlled radical polymerizations، the generative transfer with alkyl iodides is one of the oldest methods. This method، known as the «iodine transfer radical polymerization»، was used first time in the preparation of fluorinated elastomers. Recently، reverse iodine transfer radical polymerization has been introduced as a new method without the need for alkyl iodides. Reverse iodine transfer radical polymerization has emerged as an easy، efficient and robust method of control radical polymerization، applicable to a wide range of monomers and compatible with both homogeneous and heterogeneous processes. In this study، the mechanism and kinetics of (reverse) iodine transfer radical polymerization has been studied. In addition، the commercial monomers، polymerized by these methods، and the transfer agents used in these procedures have been reviewed.