Search

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is a well‐known and widely used commodity plastic. High production amount of PMMA causes excessive waste creation that highlights the necessity of recycling. Conventional recycling methods require elevated temperatures to induce degradation or depolymerization. In this work, visible light induced photodegradation system by using dimanganese decacarbonyl (Mn2(CO)10) with high halogen affinity is reported. Halide functional photodegradable polymers are prepared by copolymerization of methyl methacrylate and methyl α‐chloroacrylate by conventional reversible addition‐fragmentation chain‐transfer polymerization. Synthesized copolymers are efficiently degraded to low molecular weight oligomers under visible light irradiation in the presence of Mn2(CO)10. Characteristics of precursors, degraded polymers, and kinetics of depolymerization are investigated by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourrier transform infrared (FTIR), and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H‐NMR) spectroscopies. The reported approach is expected to trigger further development of more environmentally friendly recycling techniques in the near future as we are moving toward a greener and more sustainable world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sequence‐defined and degradable polymers can mimic biopolymers, such as peptides and DNA, to undertake life‐supporting functions in a chemical way. The design and development of well‐structured oligomers/polymers is the most concern for the public, even to further uncover their degradation process illustrating the degraded products and their properties. However, seldom investigation has been reported on the aforementioned aspects. In this work, the alternating photo‐reversible addition‐fragmentation chain‐transfer (photo‐RAFT) single unit monomer insertion (SUMI) of different N‐substituted maleimides and thermal radical ring‐opening SUMI of a cyclic ketene acetal monomer (i.e., 5,6‐benzo‐2‐methylene‐1,3‐dioxepane (BMDO)) is adopted, to produce two degradable pentamers owing to the conversion of the exo‐methylene group of BMDO into ester bonds along the main chains of the prepared products. Moreover, the possible degraded approach of pentamers is studied by combining high‐resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry (LC‐MS) for the first time. This work also sheds light on the precise structures and cytotoxicity of SUMI products and their degraded compounds, proposing a detailed and credible outlook for biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]