Dual-initiator alkoxyamines with an N-tert-butyl-N-(1-diethylphosphono-2,2-dimethylpropyl) nitroxide moiety for preparation of block co-polymers

Dual initiators for controlled radical/ionic polymerization reactions attract much attention in terms of preparation of new materials. We studied the potential of dual-initiator alkoxyamines 3 [based both on para-substituted aromatic ring for external triggering or initiation of orthogonal polymerization and on N-tert-butyl-N-(1-diethylphosphono-2,2-dimethylpropyl) nitroxide (SG1)] for nitroxide-mediated polymerization (NMP) with various monomers such as styrene, styrene sulphonate, 2-vinyl pyridine or methylmethacrylate. Alkoxyamines 3 were found to be as efficient in the NMP process as N-(2-methylpropyl)-N-(1-diethylphosphono-2,2-dimethylpropyl)-O-(2-carboxylprop-2-yl)hydroxylamine (1). Furthermore, in sharp contrast to 1, alkoxyamines 3 were easier to functionalize.