Polymerization of vinyl monomers containing boron. I. <i>B</i>‐trivinyl‐<i>N</i>‐triphenylborazine and <i>B</i>‐triallyl‐<i>N</i>‐triphenylborazine

Abstract

Abstract Synthesis of B ‐trivinyl‐ N ‐triphenylborazine is reported. Polymerization of this compound and of B ‐triallyl‐ N ‐triphenylborazine is discussed. The vinyl derivative does not homopolymerize, but the allyl compound polymerizes with difficulty, yielding a gel. Both of these borazines copolymerize with styrene and with methyl methacylate. The vinyl compound is comparable to these reference monomers in reactivity toward their radicals. These results are explained by assuming that the steric effect of phenyl groups makes adjacent vinyl groups inaccessible to hindered reactants. This steric effect prevents an assessment of stabilization of vinyl radicals by resonance and polarity in the borazine ring.