POLYMERISABILITY OF DIFFERENT LACTONES AND METHYL-METHACRYLATE IN THEPRESENCE OF VARIOUS ORGANOALUMINUM CATALYSTS

Polymerisation experiments of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and various la ctones have been performed in bulk and in solution in the presence of different anionic initiators, such as diethylaluminium sulphate (DEAS) , triisobutylaluminium (TIBA) and TIBA/H2O, at room temperature and at 100 degrees C. Results are presented on the relative tendency of the investigated lactones and methyl methacrylate to polymerise in the pre sence of the different catalytic systems. Five member ring lactones ar e refractory to the polymerisation under the adopted conditions, where as the inferior and superior homologues and MMA provide homopolymers i n fairly high yield and respectable average molecular weight, with mon omodal distribution and fairly narrow polydispersity index. It is clai med for the first time the ability of DEAS to provide poly(methyl meth acrylate) with a prevailingly syndiotactic microstructure. Copolymeris ation experiments of MMA with various lactones give rise to either hyb rid block copolymers or in situ prepared polymer alloys as substantiat ed by NMR and GPC analysis. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.