Summary
Nitro-substituted aromatic diazonium ions, sulfonates, and halides initiated cationic polymerization of p-methoxystyrene in nitromethane solution. p-Nitrobenzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate was by far the most effective of five such compounds tested. The mechanism is believed to involve addition of the nucleophilic monomer to the aromatic ring to form a Meisenheimer intermediate. Elimination of the leaving group forms a carbenium ion which initiates polymerization.
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Hall, H.K., Howey, M.A. Activated aromatic diazonium ions, sulfonates and halides as new initiators for the cationic polymerization of p-methoxystyrene: exceptional effectiveness of p-nitrobenzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate. Polymer Bulletin 12, 427–431 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00255429
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00255429