Asymmetric polymerization of triphenylmethyl methacrylate by optically active anionic catalysts

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Abstract
Triphenylmethyl methacrylate (TrMA) was polymerized with two types of asymmetric anionic catalyst, lithium (R)‐N‐(1‐phenylethyl)anilide (LiAn) and (‐)‐sparteine–butyllithium complex (Sp–BuLi), at −78°C. Both catalysts yielded optically active polymers. The polymers obtained with LiAn in toluene and tetrahydrofuran (THF) showed specific rotations [α] of from −50° to −90° (in THF). The [α] of the polymer obtained with Sp–BuLi in toluene was positive and increased with polymer yield reaching above +300°s, whereas the polymer obtained in THF showed a low [α] (ca. +7°). Gel permeation chromatograms of both polymers obtained with LiAn and Sp–BuLi in THF exhibited rather narrow molecular weight distributions, whereas those obtained in toluene showed at least two or three components with markedly different molecular weights. The circular dichroism (CD) spectrum of the polymer obtained with Sp–BuLi showed strong positive peaks at 208 and 232 nm and a weak band at 250–280 nm; the polymer produced with LiAn showed a similar spectrum with opposite sign. The poly(methyl methacrylate)s derived from these poly(TrMA)s were highly isotactic but showed negligible rotations ([α] ± 2° in toluene). The polymer of high molecular weight showed clear polarization under a polarizing microscope and the low polymer obtained with LiAn appeared to show flow birefringence in chloroform at room temperature.