Synthesis of novel organocatalysed phenoxazine for atom transfer radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate monomer

Abstract

In this research, a novel organic photocatalyst of 10-(perylene-3-yl-10H-phenoxazine (PHP) has been successfully synthesized from perylene and phenoxazine via Buchwald-Hartwig C-N coupling. The chemical structure of catalyst was determined via FT-IR, proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR) spectrum and optical properties were investigated through UV-Vis spectroscopy. The PHP has been used as the reducing photoredox catalyst for organocatalyzed atom transfer radical polymerrization (O-ATRP) under UV irradiation. The well controlled molecular weight of the methyl methacrylate polymers have been obtained nearly 80% with a low polydispersity index under 1.5.