Telechelic Polymers by Visible-Light-Induced Radical Coupling

A simple and efficient method to prepare telechelics by visible-light-induced radical coupling is presented. Irradiation of the toluene solutions of bromo-terminated polystyrenes prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) in the presence of an ester functional ATRP initiator and dimanganese decacarbonyl (Mn2(CO)10) at ? = 400500 nm leads to the formation telechelic polymers through radicalradical coupling. Adaptability of the process for the preparation of mono- and bifunctional telechelics is demonstrated under variety of conditions of ATRP and coupling steps.