Automated Parallel Freeze-Evacuate-Thaw Degassing Method for Oxygen-Sensitive Reactions: RAFT Polymerization

An automated and parallel freeze-evacuate-thaw degassing method in a commercially available synthesizer is disclosed and tested for its applicability to reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The effectiveness of this method to eliminate oxygen in polymerization reactions is demonstrated by directly comparing it against experiments performed using conventional laboratory techniques. Apart from the demonstrated accuracy, the proposed method has also shown significant precision when performing RAFT polymerizations. The reported experimental technique can be easily adapted to other chemical systems where the removal of oxygen is mandatory. This new high-throughput method has the potential to significantly increase the productivity and/or research outcomes in laboratories where oxygen-sensitive reactions are carried out.