MONOEPOXY POLYMERIZATION INITIATED BY BF(3)-AMINE COMPLEXES IN BULK .2. INFLUENCE OF WATER AND BY-PRODUCTS ON POLYMER FORMATION

The polymerization of a monoepoxy, phenylglycidylether (PGE), initiate d by BF3-4-methoxyaniline (BF3-4MA) was studied at 60-degrees-C. The p olymerization rate was found to be R(p) = k(p) [BF3-4MA ]0.53 [PGE]. T he improper fraction of BF3-4MA shows the complexity of the polymeriza tion mechanism. Moreover, the influence of water, temperature, by-prod ucts formed during the polymerization, on the kinetics of PGE was also examined. Furthermore, two other monoepoxy monomers, glycidylmethacry late (GMA) and alpha-napthylglycidylether (NGE), were studied for the comparison with PGE. Finally, an overall mechanism of the cationic pol ymerization of epoxy by BF3-amine complex was proposed. (C) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.