Light‐Dependent RAFT Polymerization of Spiropyran Acrylates

Abstract A light‐assisted RAFT copolymerization protocol is established and investigated for the synthesis of 2‐hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA) / spiropyran acrylate (SPA) copolymers with enhanced SPA‐contents. Radiation with visible light prevents the spiropyran (SP) motif from isomerizing into the open merocyanine (MC) form which can interfere with the polymerization process by abstracting a hydrogen atom from an active radical via its phenolic oxygen.