TITRATION POLYMERIZATION OF MONOVINYLACETYLENE

A polymer consisting of a saturated carbon backbone with pendent acety lenic groups was prepared from monovinylacetylene. A titration was per formed between the monomer and tertiary butyllithium, its lithiating a gent. The charge transfer complex formed between the solvent THF and t he tertiary butyllithium was used as an indicator of the unreacted but yllithium. Hence, a stoichiometric quantity of tertiary butyllithium w as added dropwise to a solution of monovinylacetylene in THF to form l ithiovinylacetylene. The addition of a slight excess of butyllithium l ed to the polymerization of the lithiated monomer. The obtained polyme r was reprotonated and characterized. This polymerization was evaluate d as a possible route to synthesize poly(vinylacetylene) with processa ble molecular weights, for its application as a potential carbon fiber precursor. (C) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.