Patent ID: 7132491

Claim:
A free radical polymerization process employing organometallic RAFT reagents, comprising: reacting at least one free radically polymerizable monomer, at least one initiator, and at least one organometallic RAFT reagent undergoing polymerization to obtain a polymer having terminal organometallic functional groups with a PDI of 1.4 or less, wherein the organometallic RAFT reagent has a formula (I), of or a formula (II), of: wherein n is 2, 3, 4, or 5; L is the same or different ligand which remains bound to M under polymerization conditions; T is the same or different and is P, C, O, or N; M is the same or different and is Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Tc, Re, Fe, Ru, Os, Co, Rh, Ir, Ni, Pd, Pt or Sc; R 1 and R 2 is the same or different and is H, saturated or unsaturated alkyl group, cycloalkyl group, heterocycloalkyl group, polycyclic alkyl group, aryl group, heteroaryl group, or alkylaryl group, wherein the saturated or unsaturated alkyl group can be straight or branched and has 1 to 20 carbon atoms; R 3 is alkyl group, aryl group, alkylaryl group, aminoalkyl group, alkylamino group, alkyloxy group, cycloalkyl group, heterocycloalkyl group, polycyclic alkyl group, —R″CN or —R″COOH, wherein R″ can be a saturated or unsaturated alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms; and R 4 is alkylene group, arylene group or alkylarylene group.