Vinyl Polymers and Processes for Producing the Same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for producing a vinyl polymer retaining the ability for atom transfer radical polymerization, a method for reliably producing a vinyl polymer having terminal functional groups, a vinyl polymer having functional groups prepared by these methods, and a curable composition comprising the polymer. A vinyl polymer having terminal functional groups can be reliably produced through the steps of preparing a vinyl polymer by atom transfer radical polymerization of a vinyl monomer in a polymerization solvent in the presence of a polymerization initiator and a transition metal complex functioning as a polymerization catalyst, removing the polymerization solvent and the vinyl monomer while the ability for atom transfer radical polymerization is maintained, and supplying a functional-group-introducing agent having a low polymerizability to introduce a functional group to a polymer terminus.

1 - 21 . (canceled)  
     
     
         22 . A polymer produced by a method for making a vinyl polymer having a terminus to which a functional-group-introducing agent is added, comprising: 
 supplying the functional-group-introducing agent having a low polymerizability and a functional-group-introducing solvent having a dielectric constant higher than that of the functional-group-introducing agent to a polymerization system after 80 percent by weight or more of a vinyl monomer is consumed by atom transfer radical polymerization in a polymerization solvent in the presence of a polymerization initiator and a transition metal complex functioning as a polymerization catalyst, and    adding the functional-group-introducing agent to the terminus of the vinyl polymer by addition reaction,    wherein 1 to 1,000 parts by weight of the functional-group-introducing solvent to 100 parts by weight of the vinyl monomer is supplied.    
     
     
         23 . A curable composition comprising the polymer according to  claim 22.