Synthesis of triphenyl phosphine oxide‐containing polymers via atom transfer radical polymerization

Bis[(4 -β-(2-bromopropanoate)ethoxy)phenyl]phenylphosphine oxide was used for the first time as the initiator of atom transfer radical polymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate in the presence of CuBr/N, N,N′, N″, N″-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine as catalyst/ligand and dimethyl sulfoxide as solvent. The presence of phosphine oxide linkages in the backbone gives the polymers special properties; low Tg, high char yield, and decreases the oxygen induction time value. A linear increase of number average molecular weight (Mn) versus monomer conversion was observed, and the molecular weight distribution was relatively narrow (Mw/Mn = 1.1–1.3). FTIR, 1HNMR, gel permeation chromatography, ultraviolet spectroscopies were used for the characterization of the related polymers. The thermal properties of these polymers were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013