Patent ID: 7351781

Claim:
A controlled radical polymerization process comprising the steps of: (a) adding a compound capable of forming a carbon centered radical, which is able to initiate free radical polymerization, having the general structure: wherein R 1 is selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 20 alkyl, cyclic, heterocyclic, alkynol, or aryl; R 2 is selected from the group consisting of H and C 1 -C 2 alkyl; SG is a radical stabilizing group; and W is selected from the group consisting of a —C-C-bond and a group that can decompose to form two residues containing carbon centered radicals; to a solvent, forming a solution, which is substantially free of oxygen; (b) heating the solution to a temperature sufficient to allow the compound to form two carbon centered radical residues; (c) adding a first monomer composition comprising one or more ethylenically unsaturated monomers to the solution containing the carbon centered radical residues; (d) polymerizing the first monomer composition to form a quasi-living polymer; and wherein step (b) is performed in the absence of any other ingredient.