title: Aqueous suspension polymerization of isobutene initiated by 1,2-C6F4[B(C6F5)2]2.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Science, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325-3909, USA.
authors.forename: Stewart P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Lee D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.forename: Brett D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Chandler
authors.forename: Masood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parvez
authors.forename: Warren E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Piers
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Collins