The mechanism of polymerization reactions. I. The polymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate

Abstract

In the polymerization of styrene, methyl methacrylate, the acrylates including acrylic acid, vinyl acetate, methylvinyl-ketone, vinyl halides, indene and coumarone, the monovinyl compound of the formula CH 2 : CH. R is capable of growing into long saturated molecules through the reaction of the olefinic link: n CH 2 : CH R → (—CH 2 . CH— Ṙ ) n . The type of polymerization which is manifested by all these compounds is of a very simple character because only one reactant is involved and one, moreover, whose functionality is limited to two. This means that only straight chains can be produced, and with the simple monovinyl compounds no cross-linking is possible.