A series of aromatic acetals (1) from substituted phenols [CH3CH(OiBu)OAr;
Ar = C6H5, p-CH3OC(O)C6H4, p-CH3C(O)C6H4, p-NO2C6H4, 4-NO2-2,6-di-C6H5-C6H2
, o-CH3C(O)C6H4] were employed as new initiators in conjunction with Lewis
acids (MtX(n)) for the living cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl eth
er (IBVE). Most of them were quantitatively synthesized by the addition of
the corresponding phenols to IBVE. When coupled with aluminum chloride (AlC
l3), 1 gave polymers with broad molecular weight distributions (MWDs), wher
eas the addition of ethyl acetate (10 vol %) to these systems led to the fo
rmation of controlled polymers whose number-average molecular weights (M-n)
were directly proportional to monomer conversion, with relatively narrow d
istributions (M-w/M-n similar to 1.2). The aromatic acetals in conjunction
with tin halides (SnX4; X = Cl, Br) gave relatively high meso contents (81%
) in toluene at -78 degrees C.