LIVING RADICAL POLYMERIZATION OF STYRENE WITH DIPHENYL DISELENIDE AS A PHOTOINIFERTER - SYNTHESIS OF POLYSTYRENE WITH CARBON-CARBON DOUBLE-BONDS AT BOTH CHAIN-ENDS

Photopolymerization of styrene in the presence of diphenyl diselenide proceeded smoothly. The polymer yields and the number average molecula r weight (Mn) of the polymers increased with reaction time. Further, a linear relationship was found for a plot of Mn for polystyrene versus polymer yield. These results indicate that this polymerization procee ds through a living radical mechanism. Photopolymerization of styrene with bis(p-tertbutylphenyl) diselenide afforded a telechelic polystyre ne with terminal arylseleno groups. The resulting polymer underwent th e reductive elimination of terminal seleno groups by the reaction with tri-n-butyltin hydride. Moreover, this telechelic polymer was treated with hydrogen peroxide to afford polystyrene with carbon-carbon doubl e bonds at both chain ends.