CATIONIC OLIGOMERIZATION AND COPOLYMERIZATION WITH STYRENE OF 2,3-DIPHENYL-1,3-BUTADIENE BY P-DICUMYLCHLORIDE LEWIS-ACID AND H2O LEWIS-ACIDSYSTEMS

Homo and copolymerization with styrene of 2,3-diphenyl-1,3-butadiene ( DPBD) were investigated in the presence of a variety of Lewis acids (L A) such as TiCl4, BCl3, AlCl3, and SnCl4. In the presence of ''H2O'' a nd 1,4-bis(2-chloro-2-propyl)benzene (p-dicumylchloride, p-DCC) initia tors predominantly ''unimers'' and dimers are formed. The copolymeriza tion of DPBD with styrene was achieved with the DPBD/Sty/p-DCC/Pyridin e/TiCl4 system. Pure copolymer was obtained by fractional precipitatio n. The composition of the copolymer was determined by H-1-NMR spectros copy.