Investigation of oligomethylmethacrylate-lithium and its donor-acceptor complexes with organometal compounds by means of infrared spectroscopy

Anionic polymerization of methyl methacrylate in THF and toluene at ?70° was studied by means of i.r. spectroscopy. The reaction mixtures show characteristic absorption at 1600–1750 cm^?1 caused by the stretching vibrations of the propagating centre as well as by the groups obtained in side reactions (metal splitting, addition to a carbonyl group, cyclization). Sec-butyllithium is more effective in THF than n-butyllithium, ethyllithium and fluorenyllithium. When polymerizing in toluene, small amounts of a donor (THF or HMPT) cause formation of active centres similar to those in pure THF. The “living” ends of oligo-MMA form 1:1 complexes with electron acceptors such as trialkylaluminium and triethylboron.