Radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate regulated by a system tri-n-butylborane-α, β-unsaturated carbonyl compound

Polymerization of MMA initiated by the system composed of dicyclohexylperoxydicarbonate, tri-n-butylborane, and α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds was studied. The latter react with radicals involved in chain propagation to form O-centered radicals which interact with alkylborane via the S R 2 substitution reaction, thereby increasing the rate of polymerization and decreasing the molecular mass of the polymer in the range from 1.5 x 10 6 to 5.0 x 104 as dependent on the structure of carbonyl compound. It was shown that the resulting polymer shows an enhanced stability to thermooxidative degradation.