Iron-based catalytic systems in atom-transfer controlled-radical-polymerization processes

The literature data about the use of catalytic systems and compositions based on iron and its complexes for the controlled synthesis of polymers via the atom-transfer mechanism are generalized and analyzed. The effects of the oxidation number of a metal atom, the ligand environment, the structure of a radical initiator, the activating additives, and other factors on the molecular-weight characteristics of the polymers and the kinetics of vinyl polymerization are considered.