A study of the mechanism of aniline polymerization

Abstract A chemical polymerization of aniline is quenched at specific reaction time intervals and the amounts of unreacted aniline and formed p ‐aminodiphenylamine is observed. Oxidation of aniline to generate p ‐aminodiphenylamine is observed. Oxidation of aniline to generate p ‐aminodiphenylamine is the slow step in the plymerization. Furthermore, the tetramer of aniline is used as starting material for polymerization under the same conditions as polymerization of aniline. Direct coupling of two tetramers leading to polymer is not observed. A mechanism of polymerization of aniline is proposed