Polybromostryl macromers and their anionic polymerization

Abstract The decomposition of polybromostyryl carbanions (PBS − ), obtained by anionic polymerization of 4‐bromostyrene in tetrahydrofuran (THF), was investigated in the dark in a temperature range of −6–−21°C. It was accompanied by the evolution of bromine anions and by the formation of polymeric allylic carbanions (λ max = 575 nm; ε max = 6800 eq −1 ·L·cm −1 ). The reaction mechanism was elucidated. The rate constant of the unimolecular rate‐determining step of the process was 1.3 × 10 −5 s −1 and 9.7 × 10 −5 s −1 at −21 and −6°C, respectively. Its apparent energy of activation E app = 18.38 Kcal/mol. The polybromostyrenes with allylic carbanions at their ends may decompose further. Their “dark” decomposition yielded 1,3‐butadiene‐1,3‐diphenyl‐macromers. The mechanisms of decomposition of the PBS − carbanions and the dark decomposition of the polybromostyryl allylic carbanions are analogous. The rate constant of the latter process was 2.5 × 10 −6 s −1 at −6°C. The anionic polymerization of prepared macromers can be initiated in THF at −78°C by α‐methylstyryl carbanions, which do not react, however, with PBS − carbanions. “Comblike” polymacromers were prepared in which each branch had a molecular weight of about 50,000. The overall molecular weight of the polymacromer was estimated to be about 1 × 10 6 . It has been assumed that the 2–1 mode of addition to the diene group of the macromer is predominant during its polymerization. The 3–4 mode of addition followed by proton shift represents the termination step. The 4–3 mode of addition was ruled out on the basis of spectroscopic evidence.