Polymerization and copolymerization of 1-triethylgermylbuta-1,3-diene with styrene and methyl methacrylate☆

The homopolymer of 1-triethylgermylbutadiene (TEGB) and copolymers of the latter with styrene and methyl methacrylate have been prepared, and the reactivity ratios and Q and e factors of TEGB and its hydrocarbon analogue 1-tert. butylbuta-1,3-diene in copolymerization with styrene and methyl methacrylate determined. It is shown that the reactivity of alkadienes containing hetero-atoms can be arranged in the following series: in homopolymerization Si > Ge > C > Sn and in copolymerization C > Si > Ge > Sn. It is suggested that dπ-pπ-conjugation has a decisive effect on the reactivity in homopolymerization and copolymerization of the hetero-atom monomers studied.