Termination of the anionic polymerization of acrylonitrile at low catalyst concentrations

Abstract

AbstractThe homogeneous anionic polymerization of acrylonitrile in dimethylformamide with n‐butyllithium was studied. Two different termination reactions were found to exist depending on catalyst concentration. At high catalyst concentrations termination was bimolecular by chain transfer to monomer, while at relatively low catalyst concentrations termination was monomolecular, by an inner cyclization reaction of the growing chain end. The existence of chain transfer only at high catalyst concentrations suggests the possibility of free catalyst molecules participating in the transfer reaction. At intermediate catalyst concentrations, both monomolecular and bimolecular terminations were found to occur side by side, and DP = Kp[M]/(Ktr[C][M] + Kt). Study of the dependence of molecular weight on per cent conversion at low catalyst concentrations showed that, up to about 30% conversion, there is a linear relationship between molecular weight and concentration of monomer consumed which is independent of temperature and monomer. After this degree of conversion, molecular weight stopped to increase and remained constant due to monomolecular termination. All over the wide range of catalyst concentrations investigated, the catalyst efficiency in initiating polymerization was found to be low. In the lowest range where there is a linear dependence of molecular weight on per cent conversion it was also found that the molecular weights are proportional to [M]/[C], which is a property of “living” systems.