Reversible-deactivation polymerization

IUPAC definition

Chain polymerization, propagated by chain carriers that are deactivated reversibly,

bringing them into active-dormant equilibria of which there might be more than one.

Note: examples of reversible-deactivation polymerization are group-transfer

polymerization, reversible-deactivation radical polymerization (RDRP),

reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer polymerization (RAFT)

and atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP).

Aubrey, Jenkins; Richard G. Jones, Moad, Graeme Pure Appl. Chem., 2010, 82(2), 483–491

Reversible-deactivation polymerization is a form of chain polymerization propagated by chain carriers that are reversibly deactivated. It is distinct from living polymerization, despite some common features, since living polymerization requires a complete absence of termination reactions, whereas reversible-deactivation polymerization may contain a similar fraction of termination as conventional polymerization with the same concentration of active species.