Uniform initiation of anionic polymerization using organo-substituted alkali metal initiators
First Claim
1. In a method of anionically polymerizing monomers comprising contacting the monomers with a functional anionic polymerization initiator which is an organo-substituted alkali metal compound, the improvement which comprises adding from 0.1 to 1.0 equivalents of a metal alkyl compound per equivalent of the alkali metal compound wherein alkyl groups of the metal alkyl compound are chosen so that they will not exchange with the organo substituents of the alkali metal compound and wherein the organo substitution of the alkali metal compound is aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, aromatic, or alkyl-substituted aromatic.
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Abstract
The present invention is an improvement in a method of anionically polymerizing monomers by contacting them with an anionic polymerization initiator which is an organo-substituted alkali metal compound in the presence of low amounts of an accelerator/promoter and/or a highly active microstructure modifier. The improvement comprises adding from 0.1 to 1.0 equivalents of a metal alkyl compound per equivalent of alkali metal initiator wherein alkyl groups of the metal alkyl compound are chosen so that they will not exchange with the organo substituents of the alkali metal compound. The preferred initiator for use herein is the sec-butyl lithium adduct of diisopropenyl benzene and the preferred metal alkyl is triethyl aluminum.
58 Citations
17 Claims
- 1. In a method of anionically polymerizing monomers comprising contacting the monomers with a functional anionic polymerization initiator which is an organo-substituted alkali metal compound, the improvement which comprises adding from 0.1 to 1.0 equivalents of a metal alkyl compound per equivalent of the alkali metal compound wherein alkyl groups of the metal alkyl compound are chosen so that they will not exchange with the organo substituents of the alkali metal compound and wherein the organo substitution of the alkali metal compound is aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, aromatic, or alkyl-substituted aromatic.
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10. A process of anionically polymerizing monomers, comprising;
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adding a metal alkyl compound to a functional anionic polymerization initiator which is an organo-substituted alkali metal compound, wherein 0.1 to 1.0 equivalents of the metal alkyl compound are added per equivalent of the alkali metal compound and. alkyl groups of the metal alkyl compound are chosen so that they will not exchange with the organo substituents of the alkali metal compound, and wherein the alkali metal compound is the sec-butyl lithium adduct of diisopropenyl benzene; and
polymerizing the monomers with the initiator. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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- 15. In a method of anionically polymerizing monomers comprising contacting the monomers with a functional anionic polymerization diinitator which is an organo-substituted alkali metal compound, the improvement which comprises adding from 0.1 to 1.0 equivalents of a metal alkyl compound per equivalent of the alkali metal compound wherein alkyl groups of the metal alkyl compound are chosen so that they will not exchange with the organo substituents of the alkali metal compound, and wherein the alkali metal compound is a sec-butyl lithium adduct of dilsopropenyl benzene.
Specification