FERROCENE AS AN EFFECTIVE INITIATOR FOR COPOLYMERIZATION OF STYRENE WITH MALEIC-ANHYDRIDE

Ferrocene (Fc) was found to be an effective initiator for copolymeriza tion of styrene (ST) with maleic anhydride (MAH). Copolymerization cou ld be initiated by charge transfer complex formed between MAH as an el ectron acceptor and Fc as an electron donor. A good relationship betwe en the formation of charge transfer complex and initiation activity wa s observed in the copolymerization of ST with MAH in various solvents. Overall energy of activation determined from an Arrhenius plot in dio xane was found to be 21.8 kJ/mol. (C) 1995 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.