POLYMERIZATION OF TETRAHYDROFURAN WITH NEW TRANSITION-METAL CATALYST AND ITS MECHANISM - (P-METHYLBENZYL)-O-CYANOPYRIDINIUM HEXAFLUOROANTIMONATE

(p-Methylbenzyl)-o-cyanopyridinium hexafluoroantimonate, a new catalys t, was synthesized by the reaction of o-cyanopyridine with alpha-bromo -p-xylene followed by exchange of counteranion with SbF6theta. We exam ined the effect of the catalyst on the bulk polymerization of tetrahyd rofuran under various conditions. The catalytic activity was best in t he presence of 1:1 of epichlorohydrin used as cocatalyst versus cataly st concentration. The resulting polymers had relatively low conversion s in 1.0-40%. Their number average molecular weights were in the range of 800 to 5300. Propagation rate increased with increase in temperatu re according to an Arrhenius expression giving an activation energy of 62 KJ/mol. We also found that the polymerization of THF with new cata lyst proceeds via a cationic mechanism.