CONTROL OF MOLECULAR WEIGHT AND END GROUP FUNCTIONALITY IN POLYMERS USING UNSATURATED PEROXY COMPOUNDS AS CHAIN TRANSFER AGENTS

摘要

A process for the production of lower molecular weight polymers by free radical polymerization, characterized in that there is added to the polymerization system a compound of general formula (I), wherein R<1> is hydrogen, chlorine, an alkyl group, or a group capable of activating the vinylic carbon towards free radical addition; R<2> is hydrogen or an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, cycloalkenyl or cycloalkyl group or the group -COZ, where Z is R<3> or OR<3>, where R<3> is hydrogen or an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl or aryl group. X is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl or aryl group, or a halogen, and the two X groups may be the same or different. The invention also includes polymers or oligomers made by the process and novel compounds of general formula (I) as defined above.