Side reactions in anionic homo- and hybrid polymerization of 2- and 4-vinylpyridines

The products of interaction between poly(2-vinylpyridine) and butyllithium and methylmagnesium iodide were studied by mass-spectrometric thermal analy sis and solid-phase C-13 NMR spectroscopy. This provided an opportunity to follow side reactions that may proceed in the synthesis of homo- and hybrid polymers of 2-vinylpyridine involving organometallic compounds. It was est ablished that the analogous polymerization reactions are accompanied by the alkylation and rearomatization of pyridine rings and lead to the formation of crosslinked and branched structures with alkylpyridine structures occur ring in the branching junctions.