Quasiliving Carbocationic Polymerization. XIII. Polymerization of 2,4,6-Trimethylstyrene

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The polymerization of 2,4,6-trimethylstyrene (vinyl mesitylene) has been investigated, and quasiliving polymerizations have been achieved under a comfortably wide experimental condition range. This monomer is particularly suitable for quasiliving polymerizations because the methyl groups in the 2 and 6 positions prevent chain transfer to monomer involving indanyl-skeleton formation. Quasiliving polymerizations readily occurred by the use of cumyl chloride/TiCl4 or BCl3 initiating systems in various n-C6H14/CH2Cl2 mixtures at -50°C. Because indanyl-skeleton formation is impossible, the rate of monomer addition can be safely decreased to very low values without risking chain transfer by intramolecular alkylation.