Photolabile protecting groups: a strategy for making primary amine polymers by RAFT

Abstract

A photolabile ortho-nitrobenzyl primary amine protecting group is incorporated into a methacrylic monomer (ONBAMA). RAFT gives well-defined polymers of ONBAMA of various sizes. The protecting group is sensitive to UV radiation, but stable against visible light, acid and base. This provides a facile pathway to creating well-defined primary amine polymers by RAFT.