ANIONIC-POLYMERIZATION METHODS - AN EFFICIENT TOOL FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF TAILOR-MADE MACROMOLECULES

The criteria of livingness, as applied to anionic polymerizations, are discussed. A number of restrictions have to be taken into considerati on, if anionic polymerizations are to be applied to the synthesis of m odel polymers. Several examples of synthesis of tailor-made polymers v ia anionic polymerization are presented, namely end-functionalizations , chain extensions, end-to-end cyclizations, block, copolymer synthesi s, grafting processes, methods to make star polymer. In each case the reliability of the methods is discussed thoroughly.