Me6-TREN/TREN Mixed-Ligand Effect During SET-LRP in the Catalytically Active DMSO Revitalizes TREN into an Excellent Ligand

Biomacromolecules. 2020 May 11;21(5):1902-1919. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.9b01765. Epub 2020 Feb 7.

Abstract

A mixed-ligand effect was observed for mixtures of tris(2-dimethylaminoethyl)amine (Me6-TREN) with tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (TREN) ligands during Cu(0) wire-catalyzed, single-electron transfer-living radical polymerization (SET-LRP) of methyl acrylate (MA) initiated with bis(2-bromopropionyl)ethane (BPE) in DMSO. The external order of reaction of SET-LRP both in the presence of Me6-TREN, TREN and of the mixed-ligand Me6-TREN/TREN, in DMSO, demonstrated a catalytic activity for DMSO similar to that reported in the presence of Cu(0) powder. The catalytic activity of DMSO, with close to 100% chain-end functionality, facilitates the much less expensive TREN to act as a very efficient ligand that is competitive with Me6-TREN and with the mixed-ligand and revitalizes TREN into an excellent ligand. The highest activity of the mixed-ligand at 1/1 ratio between ligands suggests that in addition to a fast exchange between these two ligands, a new single dynamic ligand stabilized by hydrogen-bonding, may generate these results.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Copper*
  • Dimethyl Sulfoxide*
  • Electron Transport
  • Ligands
  • Polymerization

Substances

  • Ligands
  • Copper
  • Dimethyl Sulfoxide