Term: group-transfer polymerization
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.08910

Definition:
Chain polymerization in which a specific atom or group is intramolecularly transferred to remain associated with the active chain-end during the course of polymerization.

Notes:
1) Group-transfer polymerization is most often a reversible-deactivation polymerization or a coordination addition polymerization.
2) The term group-transfer polymerization is often specifically associated with polymerization of (meth)acrylates and acrylamides initiated by silyl ketene acetals such as 1-methoxy-2-methyl-1-(trimethylsiloxy)prop-1-ene (traditional name is methyl trimethylsilyl dimethylketene acetal) and catalysed by nucleophiles.
3) Other forms of chain polymerization commonly referred to as group-transfer polymerizations include catalyst-transfer polymerization and rare-earth-mediated or lanthanide-mediated coordination polymerization.

Related Term: lanthanide-mediated coordination polymerization (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.09008).
Related Term: catalyst-transfer polymerization (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.09010).
Related Term: reversible-deactivation polymerization (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.08912).
Related Term: coordination addition polymerization (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.08996).

Source: PAC, 2022, 94, 1093. 'Terminology for chain polymerization (IUPAC Recommendations 2021)' on page 1100 (https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2020-1211)

Citation: 'group-transfer polymerization' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.08910

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