Preparation of hyperbranched polyacrylates by atom transfer radical polymerization .1. Acrylic AB* monomers in ''living'' radical polymerizations

Acrylic monomers were synthesized by reaction of 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate or 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate with an acid halide. Hyperbranched polymers were synthesized by bulk homopolymerization of one of the monomers, 2-((2-bromopropionyl)oxy)ethyl acrylate, via atom transfer radical polymerization using a copper(I)/copper(II) catalyst system. The resulting polymer was demonstrated to be a branched polyester through analysis of the 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrum. The polymer was a viscous solid with a subambient glass transition temperature of -11 °C.