NEW FUNCTIONALIZED INITIATORS FOR ANIONIC POLYMERIZATION

摘要

A process for the preparation of hydrocarbon solutions of monofunctional ether initiators of the following general structure: M-Z-O-C(R1R2R3) wherein M is defined as an alkali metal, preferably lithium; Z is defined as a branched or straight chain hydrocarbon tether group which contains 3-25 carbon atoms, optionally containing aryl or substituted aryl groups; and R1, R2 and R3 are independently defined as H, alkyl, substituted alkyl, aryl or substituted aryl, and their employment as initiators in the anionic polymerization of olefin containing monomers in an inert, hydrocarbon solvent comprising reacting an omega-protected-1-haloalkyl with lithium metal dispersion having a particle size between 10 and 300 millimicrons in size, at a temperature between 35 and 130 DEG C in an alkane solvent containing 5 to 10 carbon atoms.