The initiating materials for nitroxide-mediated radical polymerization (NMP) are a family of compounds referred to as alkoxyamines. An alkoxyamine can essentially be viewed as an alcohol bound to a secondary amine by an N-O single bond. The utility of this functional group is that under certain conditions, homolysis of the C-O bond can occur, yielding a stable radical in the form of a 2-center 3-electron N-O system and a carbon radical which serves as an initiator for radical polymerization.[2] For the purposes of NMP, the R groups attached to the nitrogen are always bulky, sterically hindering groups and the R group in the O- position forms a stable radical, generally is benzylic for polymerization to occur successfully. NMP allows for excellent control of chain length and structure, as well as a relative lack of true termination that allows polymerization to continue as long as there is available monomer. Because of this it is said to be “living".