Anionic polymerization of fluorine-containing vinyl monomers

Summary The anionic polymerization of pentafluorophenylmethyl methacrylate (PFPMA) were examined with several anionic initiators. The initiators of relatively low activity such as t-C₄H₉OK, organozinc compounds and Al(C₂H₅)₃ produced poly(PFPMA) in fairly high yields though no polymer was obtained by the initiations of n-C₄H₉Li and C₂H₅MgBr within 7 days. The anionic polymerization reactivity of PFPMA was found to be strongly affected by the pentafluorophenyl group though the e-value of PFPMA is similar to those of methyl methacrylate and benzyl methacrylate.Part 7, Polym. J. 19, 958 (1987)