Polymerization by alkaline earth metal compounds—I. Studies on the polymerization of methylmethacrylate by triphenylmethyl metal derivatives and related compounds of calcium, strontium and barium

✍ Scribed by W.E. Lindsell; F.C. Robertson; I. Soutar; D.H. Richards

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1981
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 580 KB
• Volume: 17
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0014-3057
• DOI: 10.1016/0014-3057(81)90040-9

✦ Synopsis

A series of related organo-alkaline earth metal compounds of formula (Ph3C)MX(THF),, (M = Ca, Sr, Ba; X = CI: M = Ca, Sr: X = Br: M = Ba; X = CPh3), has been isolated and characterized using analytical and spectroscopic techniques. The polymerization of methylmethacrylate (MMA) has been studied using these organometallic compounds as initiators. Investigations of the tacticity variations of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) produced in 1,2-dimethoxyethane or tetrahydrofuran (THF) at 210 K have shown that the syndiotacticity is higher in the former solvent, decreases with the following changes in initiator composition: Ca > Sr I> Ba; CI > Br; in THF, it is dependent on the monomer concentration. The molecular weight distributions of the PMMA samples are broad and have distinct bi-or poly-moda[ features. The polymerization process appears to be anionic in nature but the evidence suggests that more than one type of propagation occurs and mechanistic aspects are discussed. Polymerization of bulk MMA by these same initiators is also reported. The initiators RMX(THF), (M = Sr, R = Me, n = 3 or R = Et, n = 2~ and (C3Hs)SrBr(THF)2 are shown to be inefficient for polymerization of MMA. The glass transition temperatures of a range of PMMA samples of differing tacticity are presented and discussed.