Study of the mechanism of tetrahydrofuran homopolymerization with the catalyst system BF 3+oxypropylene based on the MWD data

Abstract

The mechanism of the bulk polymerization of tetrahydrofuran (THF) with the BF 3+oxypropylene catalysts system has been studied at 20°C. The kinetic data of the MWD changes were obtained for the growing macromolecules, the total product, the concentration of reactive centres of polymerization and also for the product accumulation. These results were used to establish the process kinetics, also the rate constants of propagation, monomolecular inactivation of the reactive centres, and of chain-transfer to the polymer with chain scission. The efficiency of the catalysts system was also examined.