Effect of tris(bathophenanthroline)iron(III) on the polymerization of styrene

The polymerization of styrene at 60°C initiated by 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) was studied in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) in the presence of tris-(bathophenanthroline)iron(III) complex, Fe(bathophen)₃]³⁺. The complex was prepared in situ by mixing hexakis(N,N-dimethylformamide)iron(III) perchlorate with bathophen-anthroline (systematic IUPAC nomenclature: 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline) in the molar ratio of 1 : 3. The equilibrium constant for was 3.12×10³ L³ mol^?3. The transfer constant for bathophenanthroline was found to be 0.38 ± 0.01 for the styrene/DMF system at 60°C. Mean velocity constant at 60°C for interaction of polystyryl radical with Fe(bathophen)₃]³⁺ was 3.73× 10⁴ L mol^?1 s^?1. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.