TETRAPHENYLETHANE INIFERTERS .2. TOLUENE DIISOCYANATE-BASED POLYURETHANE INIFERTER FOR LIVING RADICAL POLYMERIZATION OF ACRYLONITRILE

A novel polyurethane iniferter, synthesized from equal moles of toluen e diisocyanate and 1,1,2,2-tetraphenyl-1,2-ethanediol, was used to pol ymerize acrylonitrile to assess whether it proceeded via a ''living'' radical polymerization mechanism. From the kinetic results, the rate o f polymerization could be expressed as R(p) alpha [BpT](0.98)[AN](1.64 ). The increase of number-average molecular weight with increase of bo th conversion and polymerization time, the bimodal molecular weight di stribution in gel permeation chromatography and the increase of molecu lar weight in the post-polymerization of polyacrylonitrile confirm tha t the present tetraphenylethane-based polyurethane iniferter follows a ''living'' radical polymerization mechanism. (C) 1996 John Wiley & So ns, Inc.