Catalytic stereocontrol by scandium trifluoromethanesulfonate in radical polymerization of alpha-(alkoxymethyl)acrylates

The radical polymerization of alpha-(alkoxymethyl)acrylates in the presence of a catalytic amount of scandium trifluoromethanesulfonate [initiator: (i -PrOCO2)(2), temp.: 30 degreesC] proceeds in an isotactic specific manner ( m approximate to 70%), whereas the syndiotactic (r approximate to 70%) and atactic polymers were obtained during the radical polymerization with a cat alytic amount of zinc bromide and without metal salts, respectively. The ac hievement of opposite sense of stereoregularity (isotactic and syndiotactic ) by choosing Lewis acid catalysts during the radical polymerization of alp ha-(alkoxymethyl)acrylates was attained to some extent.