VINYL POLYMERIZATION - KINETICS OF CE(IV)-ACETOPHENONE-INITIATED POLYMERIZATION OF ACRYLONITRILE IN ACETIC-SULFURIC ACID MIXTURES

In the reported experiments, the polymerization of acrylonitrile (M) initiated by the Ce(IV)-acetophenone (AP) redox pair has been studied in acetic-sulfuric acid mixtures in a nitrogen atmosphere. The rate of polymerization is proportional to left bracket M right bracket **3**/**2, left bracket AP right bracket **1**/**2, and left bracket Ce(IV) right bracket **1**/**2. The rate of disappearance of ceric ion, minus R//C//e, is proportional to left bracket AP right bracket , left bracket M right bracket , and left bracket Ce(IV) right bracket . The effect of certain salts, solvent, acid and temperature on both the rates have been investigated. A suitable kinetic scheme has been proposed, and the composite rate constants k//p**2(k/k//t) and k//O/k//i are reported.