Anionic ring‐opening polymerization of glycidyl phthalimide, initiated with alcohol–phosphazene base systems and based on monomer activation with a Lewis acid (iBu3Al), has been studied. No propagation occurred for initiator: iBu3Al ratios less or equal to 1:3. For larger Lewis acid amounts, the first anionic ring‐opening polymerizations of glycidyl phthalimide were observed. Polymers were carefully characterized by NMR, MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry, and size exclusion chromatography and particular attention was given to the detection of eventual transfer or side‐reactions. However, polymer precipitation and transfer reaction to aluminum derivative were detrimental to monomer conversion, polymerization control, and limited polymer chain molar masses. The influence of reaction temperature and solvent on polymer precipitation and transfer reactions was studied and reaction conditions have been optimized leading to afford end‐capped poly(glycidyl phthalimide) with narrow molar mass distributions. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018, 56, 1091–1099

The minimization of the sample quantities required by analytical laboratories, as well as the increase of the fastness of the analytical operations are emerging axes for improved radiochemical analyses related to D&D issues. Two microsystem-based protocols were developed for the selective recovery of 55Fe from radioactive samples by solvent extraction. Both protocols were tested on iron solutions in two different microchips. The yields of Fe extraction were compared with macroscale batch experiments. Better performances with more than 80% of iron extracted were obtained with the second protocol, which is based on a reactive transfer of the iron cation, and more suited to the use of microchannels and very low contact times. This study already demonstrate the high potential of microfluidic technology to improve analytical operations on D&D samples. This method will further be validated with radioactive samples.

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