Atom transfer radical polymerization of methyl acrylate with molybdenum halides as catalysts in an ionic liquid

The atom transfer radical polymerization of methyl acrylate in 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate was studied with a molybdenum halide catalytic system. A combination of a bromine‐containing initiator (ethyl‐2‐bromopropionate) with a chloride‐containing catalyst [MoCl3(PMe3)3/MoCl4(PMe3)3] led to a controlled polymerization, and matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight analysis of the polymers indicated that the reversibly deactivated macromolecules contained both bromine and chloride end groups. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 105: 278–281, 2007