PECULIARITIES OF LOW-TEMPERATURE SYNTHESI S OF POLY(METHYLPENTENESULFONE)

Peculiarities of low-temperature alternating copolymerization of sulfu r dioxide with 2-methyl-1-pentene initiated by tert-butyl hydroperoxid e were studied. Viscous medium is necessary for the formation of high- molecular-mass polysulfone with high yield; moreover, in the limiting case, the solid phase is required. This is achieved when copolymerizat ion is performed in bulk, yielding polysulfone that is insoluble in a mixture of the monomers or at temperatures below the melting point of one of the components of the reaction system (sulfur dioxide). In this case, the effect of initiator is prolonged, bimolecular termination c hanges to monomolecular, and ''caging'' of macroradicals prevents thei r mutual diffusion. This leads to a change in the ratio of rate consta nts of. elementary reactions and, as as a result, affects the overall reaction rate and molecular mass of polysulfone.