ISOMERIZATION POLYMERIZATIONS OF 4-SUBSTITUTED STYRENES - SYNTHESIS OF MACROMONOMERS WITH AMINO AND OR SILYL GROUPS/

Lithium diisopropylamide (LDA) induced metalation reaction of styrenes with para substituents such as 4-methylstyrene (MST), 4-[(trimethylsi lyl)methyl]styrene (SMS), and 4-[(dimethylamino)methyl]styrene (AMS) t o form vinylbenzyllithium (VBL) derivatives. VBL derivatives initiated isomerization polymerizations to form oligomers with a polymerizable vinyl end and with functional groups such as amino groups and trimethy lsilyl groups in the side chain. Cooligomerization of the 4-substitute d styrenes gave macromonomers with a predicted extent of functional gr oups in the side chain.