POLYMERIZATION OF ALPHA-OMEGA-BIS(PARA-ISOPROPENYLPHENYL)ALKANES BY MEANS OF STANNIC CHLORIDE

The polymerization of α,ω-bis(p-isopropenylphenyl)alkanes were carried out in rather dilute conditions at −21 to 20°C, using stannic chloride as a catalyst, and soluble polymers were obtained, although monomers were diolefinic. The cyclopolymerization did not take place, but the addition polymerization did occur, along with the transfer reaction which afforded the indan unit. The direct determination of the content of the indan unit was accomplished by means of IR spectroscopy. The ktr/kp value was calculated from the observed content by assuming that the transfer was spontaneous. The activation parameters were estimated to be Atr/Ap, 6.6×105 mol dm-3 ΔEtr–ΔEp, 8.8 kcal mol-1 (36.8 kJ mol-1). © 1979, The Society of Polymer Science, Japan. All rights reserved.