Abstract
Hyperbranched polymers having a number of reductive disulfide bonds and radically reactive vinyl groups were synthesized by the bulk radical homopolymerization of bis(2-methacryloyloxyethyl)disulfide (disulfide based dimethacrylate, DSDMA) as a divinyl monomer in the presence of methyl 2-(bromomethyl)acrylate as an addition-fragmentation chain transfer agent. The resulting hyperbranched polymers (HB-DSDMAs) were photocured by irradiated at 365 nm in the presence of 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone as a photo radical initiator. The photocured HB-DSDMA exhibited high transparency in the visible region and good solvent resistance for various organic solvents. Reduction of the disulfide groups smoothly proceeded in the presence of tributylphosphine as a reductant, and the cured HB-DSDMAs were completely solubilized. HB-DSDMAs were also photocured by irradiation at 254 nm due to the homolysis of the disulfide groups with subsequent initiation of the radical polymerization.
