RAFT polymerization of bromotyramine-based 4-acryloyl-1,2,3-triazole: a functional monomer and polymer family through click chemistry

Four new functional acryloyl-triazole monomers derived from bromotyramine were successfully synthesized. These monomers were prepared in an efficient way from organic azides and propargyl acrylate via a copper catalyzed 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition. Polymers containing bromotyramine as a pendant group were obtained via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The influence of the chain transfer agent (CTA), solvent, temperature and the length of the linker between the triazole and bromotyramine groups on the polymerization kinetics was studied. It was found that triazoles containing acrylate monomers are characterized by fast polymerization and polymers with controlled molar masses (20 000 g mol(-1)) and low dispersities (DM < 1.5) can be prepared. Glass transition temperatures of these acrylic polymers ranged from 48 degrees C to 20 degrees C by controlling the length of the linker between the bromotyramine side groups and the backbone.