The LEGO toolbox: Supramolecular building blocks by nitroxide‐mediated controlled radical polymerization

Abstract A terpyridine‐functionalized alkoxyamine unimolecular initiator was used for the nitroxide‐mediated controlled living radical polymerization of n ‐butylacrylate, N , N ‐dimethylacrylamide, 4‐vinylpyridine, 2‐vinylpyridine, and isoprene. For the former three monomers, the kinetics were studied. All polymerizations resulted in well‐defined polymers having a single terpyridine ligand at the chain end and narrow polydispersity indices. The obtained polymers are valuable building blocks for metallo‐supramolecular polymers. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 6331–6344, 2005