�ber Thallium(I)-monoalkylcarbonate

Using a bifunctional initiator such as the tetrameric dianion of α-methylstyrene for the anionic polymerization of methyl methacrylate the rate constant is found to increase with conversion approaching that observed with a monofunctional initiator while the tacticity of the polymers obtained changes from that of an almost ideally atactic to a highly syndiotactic polymer. The results are explained by the assumption of an intramolecular association of the two terminal ion pairs yielding a new active species and gradually dissociating with increasing degree of polymerization of the chain. Using a polymeric dianion of α-methylstyrene as an initiator the association phenomenon is not observed.

A reaction vessel automatically controlled by magnetic valves is described which allows kinetic measurements of reactions with half lives t1/2≥2s by gravimetric determination of the conversion. Thus, it covers the gap between the flow tube and the conventional reaction vessel. The influence of mixing time and filling time on the molecular weight distribution of an anionically prepared polymer is discussed.

A newly designed automatically controlled stirred reactor suitable for kinetic measurements of reactions with half lives ≥2s has been applied to follow the anionic polymerization of methyl methacrylate in THF with Na+ as a counter ion in the presence of an excess of NaB(C6H5)4. As initiators were used: benzylsodium reacted with α-methylstyrene (I), fluorenylsodium (II), and 9-methylfluorenylsodium (III). With I the initiation is fast as compared with the polymerization reaction which is first order in monomer concentration. Within the range of −50°C to −100°C an almost unperturbed “living” polymerization is observed. The Arrhenius plot of the rate constants results in a straight line with a…