Catalyst composition for living free radical polymerization and process for polymerizing (meth) acrylic, vinyl, vinylidene, and diene monomers using the catalyst composition

A process for polymerizing a monomer through living free radical polymerization, wherein the monomer is an (meth)acrylic, vinyl, vinylidene, diene, or mixtures thereof, the process comprising:

• (a) mixing a transition metal complex MXp and a ligand to prepare a catalyst composition,
• wherein M is a transition metal, X is halogen, —NO2, —NCS, —NCO, —SCN, —CN, —N3, —SO4, carboxylate group, or —PF6, p is the valence of the transition metal;
• wherein the ligand is represented by formula (I):
• 21
• wherein R1 can be the same or different and is C1-20 alkyl, C6-20 aryl, C7-20 alkylaryl, C7-20 arylalkyl, or heterocyclic groups;
• R2 can be the same or different and is H, C1-20 alkyl, C6-20 aryl, C7-20 alkylaryl, C7-20 arylalkyl, heterocyclic groups, alkyl sulfide groups, nitrile groups, alkylsilyl, or ester groups;
• n is an integer of 0 to 6;
• and A is deleted or an S or O atom;
• wherein the molar ratio of the transition metal complex MXp and the ligand is 1 to 4;
• and
• (b) contacting the monomer and a catalytically effective amount of the catalyst composition with a compound capable of generating free radicals to undergo homopolymerization or copolymerization.