Polymerization of Ethylene Oxide with Alkyllithium Compounds and the Phosphazene Base “tBu-P4

Abstract
Well‐defined poly(ethylene oxide)s with low polydispersities are formed in the anionic polymerization of ethylene oxide with an alkyllithium/phosphazene base initiator system. The base can be regarded as a cryptand for Li+ ions. The equilibrium between complexed alkoxide ion pairs and reactive free anions is thus shifted.