"Living"/controlied radical polymerization of styrene catalyzed by benzyl chloride/iron dichloride tetrahydrate/triphenyl phosphine

Living"/controlled radical polymerization of styrene initiated by benzyl chloride has been achieved by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) catalyzed by iron dichloride tetrahydrate-triphenyl phosphine complexes at 120 C. When n(Fe) to n(P) is 1: 3, the polymer number-average molecular weight (M̄_n) increases linearly with monomer conversion. If n(Fe) to n(P) is 1: 2 or 1: 4, the linear relation of M̄_n to conversion does not exist, indicating that there exist many active centers in the polymerization.