# The Development of Visible-Light Organic Photocatalysts for Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization via Conjugation Extension

## TL;DR

Researchers developed new organic photocatalysts that work under visible light to control polymerization reactions efficiently.

## Contribution

A new class of visible-light-responsive organic photocatalysts was developed for efficient polymer synthesis.

## Key findings

- Annulated N-aryl benzo[kl]acridines were found to be effective visible light photocatalysts.
- Selenium-doped structures enabled controlled polymerization of methacrylates with low catalyst loading.
- The method produced polymers with controlled molecular weights and low dispersities.

## Abstract

This work aimed to develop organic photocatalysts (PCs) that could mediate organocatalytic atom transfer radical polymerization (O-ATRP) under visible light. Through the core-modification of known chromophoric structures and ring-locking to reach a conjugation extension, annulated N-aryl benzo[kl]acridines were identified as effective visible light-responsive photocatalysts. The corresponding selenium-doped structure showed excellent performance in the O-ATRP of methacrylates, which could afford polymer products with controlled molecular weights and low dispersities under the irradiation of visible light at a 100 ppm catalyst loading.