Abstract

Investigations are reported on polymerizations of 2- and 4- vinylpyridine, styrene and butadiene by a series of related alkaline earth metal initiators, Ph 3CMX(THF) n (M = Ca, Ba, X = Cl, n = 2; M = Ca, X = Br, n = 4; M = Sr, X = Cl, n = 4; M = Sr, X = Br, n = 5) in tetrahydrofuran (THF) or 1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME) at various temperatures and in the absence of solvent. The polymers have been examined by GPC and aspects of their microstructures determined by 13C and/or 1H NMR spectroscopy and, for polybutadiene, i.r. spectroscopy. Poly-2-vinylpyridine produced by Ph 3CMX(THF) n is rich in isotactic content; the isotacticity is higher for polymer formed in THF than DME solution, falls with change of initiator in the order M = Ca > Sr > Ba and, in DME, is greater when X = Br. The tacticities of poly-4-vinylpyridine and polystyrene are similar to those obtained from related organometallic initiators. The 1,4-content of polybutadiene decreases with initiator Ph 3CMX(THF) n in the order M = Ba > Sr > Ca; the trans-1,4 structure generally predominates except when M = Ba from which cis-1,4 links are formed in comparable amounts.

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