Abstract: Atom transfer radical polymerization of methyl methacrylates(MMA) has been achieved with ethyl-2-bromoisobutyrate[(CH₃)₂CBrCO₂C₂H₅] as an initiator and CuBr, 2,2′-bipyridine(bPy) and aluminum triisopropoxide [Al(OPrⁱ)₃] as an ternary catalyzing system in cyclohexanone at 40 ℃. MMA can be polymerized in a living fashion at low temperature with Al(OPrⁱ)₃ as a catalytic promoter. The influence of CuBr₂ on the ATRP of MMA was discussed in detaiLIN this paper. The radical concentration reduced with the addition of CuBr₂, so bimolecular termination was suppressed. Without the addition of CuBr₂, the produced polymers had high polydispersities(M_w/Mn=1.94). The polymerization of MMA became slower and more controlled with CuBr₂ than without CuBr₂. The produced PMMA had low polydispersities(M_w/Mn=1.2-1.5) and controlled molecular weights which were nearly proportional to monomer conversion. The logarithmic conversion data plotted against time (ln([M]₀/[M])vs. t) displayed current first order kinetics in monomer.

Key words: Atom transfer radical polymerization, “Living&rdquo, radical polymerization, Con-trolled radical polymerization, Methyl methacrylates, CuBr₂