Aqueous suspension polymerization of isobutene initiated by 1,2-C6F4[B(C6F5)2]2.
Lewis acidic, chelating diborane 1 forms stable oxonium acids 2 in the presence of excess MeOH or water. Diborane 1 is shown to be an effective co-initiator for the suspension polymerization of isobutene in aqueous media at sufficiently low temperatures. Poly(isobutene) or butyl rubber is obtained at moderate to high conversion and with Mw < 200 K and PDI approximately 2 under these conditions.
Lewis
Stewart P
SP
Department of Polymer Science, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325-3909, USA.
Henderson
Lee D
LD
Chandler
Brett D
BD
Parvez
Masood
M
Piers
Warren E
WE
Collins
Scott
S