Facile synthesis of well-defined water-soluble polymers via atom transfer radical polymerization in aqueous media at ambient temperature

Abstract

Monomethoxy-capped oligo(ethylene oxide) methacrylate (OEGMA) is readily polymerised in aqueous media by atom transfer radical polymerisation at 20 °C using various initiators; the resulting OEGMA polymers and macromonomers were obtained in high yield (>95%) within short reaction times and polydispersities were as low as 1.12.