The reversible complexation mediated polymerization (RCMP) of methyl methacrylate (MMA) was carried out in bulk polymerization utilizing an alkyl iodide in situ formed as initiator and Bu4N+Br-(BNBr)or Bu4N+I-(BNI)as organic salt catalysts.Firstly

the influence of different organic catalysts on RCMP of MMA was examined.The result indicates that BNI has higher catalytic reactivity than BNBr as verified by the reaction mechanics and the resulted polymers under the same experimental conditions ([MMA]:[I2]:[AIBN]=100:0.5:0.75

80 ℃).Secondly

the effect of BNI contents on the controllability of MMA polymerization was investigated in detail.The results showed that good agreement between theoretical and experimental molar masses (characterized by GPC) was observed for the used concentrations ([BNI]=9.43

23.56

47.20

117.81 mmol/L).The ratio [MMA]:[I2]:[AIBN]:[BNI]=100:0.5:0.75:0.25 is an optimum formula

affording polymers with predetermined molecular weight and low-polydispersity polymers (Mw/Mn 1.27) at relatively high polymerization rate.Last

the structure and the iodine-end-capped structure of the obtained low-molecular-weight PMMA (Mn

GPC=2400

Mw/Mn=1.11) prepared by RCMP was demonstrated by 1H-NMR spectrum.The calculated Mn

NMR was in good agreement with Mn

th and the fraction of iodine chain end of the PMMA chains was up to 98.8%.