Anionic polymerization of fluorinated vinyl monomers

Several fluorinated vinyl monomers, which were believed to be difficult to homopolymerize under common radical polymerization conditions, were polymer ized under anionic conditions. They include hexafluoro-1,3-butadiene, alpha ,beta,beta-trifluorostyrene, alpha-trifluoromethylacrylates, and alpha-trif luoromethylstyrene which are key monomers bearing simple structures. There are still a number of fluorinated vinyl monomers whose behavior toward poly merization is unclear and these vinyl monomers have to be investigated indi vidually to complete the overall picture. This knowledge will allow us also to yield fluorinated functional polymers and possibly to produce stereoreg ular polymers by anionic mechanism. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All righ ts reserved.