Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate by Charge-Transfer Mechanism with Amines and Carbon Tetrachloride

The charge-transfer complex formed between an amine and carbon tetrachloride can initiate the polymerization of vinyl monomers in a nonaqueous solvent such as dimethylsulfoxide. Here we use cyclopentylamine (CPA) and heptylamine (HA) as the donor compounds for charge-transfer initiation of the polymerization of methl methacrylate (MMA). The rate of polymerization R_p = k[MMA]¹ [amine]^0.5 [CCl₄]^0.5 when [CCl₄] [amine] ≤ 1; when [CCl₄] [amine] < 1, R_p becomes independent of [CCl₄] and R_p = k[MMA]^1.5 [amine]^0.5. The average constant at 60°C for the polymerization of MMA in terms of monomer were (1.66 ± 0.03) × 10^?5 and (1.46 ± 0.04) × 10^?5 s^?1 with CPA and HA, respectively, when [CCl₄] [amine] ≤ 1, and (1.16 ± 0.04) × 10^?5 and (1.39 ± 0.08) × 10^?1 L/mol·s when [CCl₄]/[amine] < 1.