Bioderived copolymer alternatives to poly(styrene- co-maleic anhydride) via RAFT-mediated copolymerization

Polym Chem. 2025 Jan 17. doi: 10.1039/d4py01227e. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

Poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) (SMAnh) is a petroleum-based copolymer with desirable properties that afford utility in both industrial and academic fields. The reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT)-mediated polymerization of the bioderived comonomers, indene and itaconic anhydride, was explored using three chain transfer agents with varying activity, and generally well-controlled (Đ < 1.40) polymerizations were observed.