ε‐Caprolactone/ZnCl2 complex formation: Characterization and ring‐opening polymerization mechanism

ε‐Caprolactone (ε‐CL) has been mixed with ZnCl₂ at different mol ratios. The resulting complex was characterized through ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy in bulk and in solutions, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD), and optical microscopy. Ring‐opening polymerization of ε‐caprolactone [M] using ZnCl₂ as an initiator [I] at different monomer/initiator ratios has been successfully performed in xylene. The molecular weight of poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL) as measured by gel permeation chromatografy (GPC) was found to depend linearly on the [M]/[I] ratio. Theoretical calculations were carried out to understand the geometry of the complex and the operating ring‐opening mechanism. Both experimental and computational results and the presence of methylene–chloride end group, confirmed by NMR, are in agreement with a coordination–insertion mechanism for the ring‐opening polymerization proposed in this article. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 1355–1365, 2000     

Rigid‐rod polyamides and polyimides prepared from 4,3″‐diamino‐2′,6′‐di(2‐naphthyl)‐p‐terphenyl and 2′,6′,3‴,5‴‐tetra(2‐naphthyl)‐4,4″‐diamino‐p‐quinquephenyl

A series of rigid‐rod polyamides and polyimides containing p‐terphenyl or p‐quinquephenyl moieties in backbone as well as naphthyl pendent groups were synthesized from two new aromatic diamines. The polymers were characterized by inherent viscosity, elemental analysis, FT‐IR, ¹H‐NMR, ¹³C‐NMR, X‐ray, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermomechanical analysis (TMA), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), isothermal gravimetric analysis, and moisture absorption. All polymers were amorphous and displayed T_g values at 304–337°C. Polyamides dissolved upon heating in polar aprotic solvents containing LiCl as well as CCl₃COOH, whereas polyimides were partially soluble in these solvents. No weight loss was observed up to 377–422°C in N₂ and 355–397°C in air. The anaerobic char yields were 57–69% at 800°C. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 15–24, 1999     

Synthesis of a new monomer N′‐(β‐methacryloyloxyethyl)‐2‐pyrimidyl‐(p‐benzyloxycarbonyl)aminobenzenesulfonamide and its copolymerization with N‐phenyl maleimide

The new monomer N′‐(β‐methacryloyloxyethyl)‐2‐pyrimidyl‐(p‐benzyloxy‐ carbonyl)aminobenzenesulfonamide (MPBAS) (M₁) is synthesized using sulfadiazine as parent compound. It could be homopolymerized and copolymerized with N‐phenyl maleimide (NPMI) (M₂) by radical mechanism using AIBN as initiator at 60 °C in dimethylformamide. The new monomer MPBAS and polymers were identified by IR, element analysis and ¹H NMR in detail. The monomer reactivity ratios in copolymerization were determined by YBR method, and r₁ (MPBAS) = 2.39 ± 0.05, r₂ (NPMI) = 0.33 ± 0.02. In the presence of ammonium formate, benzyloxycarbonyl groups could be broken fluently from MPBAS segments of copolymer by catalytic transfer hydrogenation, and the copolymer with sulfadiazine side groups are recovered. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 2548–2554, 2000     

A novel silk‐based segmented block copolymer containing GlyAlaGlyAla β‐sheets templated by phenoxathiin

A novel segmented block copolymer, containing polyethylene glycol segment and GlyAlaGlyAla sequence derived from B. mori silk, has been prepared as a model for silk‐based materials using both solution and interfacial techniques. Inherent viscosity, size exclusion chromatography, and light‐scattering measurements gave molecular weight between M_w 34,000–39,000. Evidence for phase separation was provided by differential scanning calorimetry, which gave two T_g's at −57 °C and 111 °C, and transmission electron microscopy, which showed a morphology in which the peptide domain, estimated to be about 20–50 nm, was dispersed in the continuous polyether phase. Solid‐state FTIR spectroscopic results showed that the polymer contained both parallel and antiparallel β‐sheet stacks, and that the solution‐polymerized material has the higher β‐sheet content. This was further confirmed by ¹³C NMR, which gave about 80% total β‐sheet content for the solution‐polymerized product and about 40% for the polymer obtained by interfacial polymerization. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 352–366, 2000     

Reactions of vinyl ethers with 2‐cyano‐2‐propyl and benzoyloxy radicals

tert‐Butyl, cyclohexyl, n‐propyl, and n‐dodecyl vinyl ethers have been used as comonomers with styrene and methyl methacrylate using ¹³C‐enriched samples of azobis(isobutyronitrile) and benzoyl peroxide as initiators at 60°C. Examination by ¹³C‐NMR spectroscopy of either (¹³CH₃)₂C(CN) or Ph¹³COO end‐groups in the products has shown that the vinyl ethers have low reactivities toward the 2‐cyano‐2‐propyl radical but high reactivities toward the benzoyloxy radical. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 771–777, 1999     

Enhancing the glass‐transition temperature of polyimide copolymers containing 2,2′‐bipyridine units by the coordination of nickel malenonitriledithiolate

Polyimide copolymers containing 2,2′‐bipyridine were synthesized and characterized. The glass‐transition temperatures (T_g's) of the polymers ranged from 260 to 300 °C. In contrast to most known organic chromophore‐containing polyimides, the polyimide copolymers in this study showed elevated T_g's (270–320 °C) after coordination with nickel malenonitriledithiolate inorganic chromophores. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 498–503, 2000     

Radical polymerization of new functional monomer: Methacryloyl isocyanate containing 4‐chloro‐1‐phenol

New functional monomer methacryloyl isocyanate containing 4‐chloro‐1‐phenol (CPHMAI) was prepared on reaction of methacryloyl isocyanate (MAI) with 4‐chloro‐1‐phenol (CPH) at low temperature and was characterized with IR, ¹H, and ¹³C‐NMR spectra. Radical polymerization of CPHMAI was studied in terms of the rate of polymerization, solvent effect, copolymerization, and thermal properties. The rate of polymerization of CPHMAI has been found to be smaller than that of styrene under the same conditions. Polar solvents such as dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and N,N‐dimethyl formamide (DMF) were found to slow the polymerization. Copolymerization of CPHMAI (M₁) with styrene (M₂) in tetrahydrofuran (THF) was studied at 60°C. The monomer reactivity ratio was calculated to be r₁ = 0.49 and r₂ = 0.66 according to the method of Fineman—Ross. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 469–473, 2000     

Metallocene‐mediated cationic ring‐opening polymerization of 2‐methyl‐ and 2‐phenyl‐oxazoline

The cationic ring‐opening polymerization of 2‐methyl‐2‐oxazoline and 2‐phenyl‐2‐oxazoline was efficiently used using bis(η⁵‐cyclopentadienyl)dimethyl zirconium, Cp₂ZrMe₂, or bis(η⁵‐tert‐butyl‐cyclopentadienyl)dimethyl hafnium in combination with either tris(pentafluorophenyl)borate or tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate dimethylanilinum salt as initiation systems. The evolution of polymer yield, molecular weight, and molecular weight distribution with time was examined. In addition, the influence of the initiation system and the monomer on the control of the polymerization was studied. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 000: 000–000, 2011     

Influence of the stereochemical configuration on the radical polymerization of methacrylic monomers: cis‐ and trans‐(2‐cyclohexyl‐1,3‐dioxan‐5‐yl) methacrylate

The synthesis of two new isomeric monomers, cis‐(2‐cyclohexyl‐1,3‐dioxan‐5‐yl) methacrylate (CCDM) and trans‐(2‐cyclohexyl‐1,3‐dioxan‐5‐yl) methacrylate (TCDM), starting from the reaction of glycerol and cyclohexanecarbaldehyde, is reported. The process involved the preparation of different alcohol acetals and esterification with methacryloyl chloride of the corresponding cis and trans 5‐hydroxy compounds of 2‐cyclohexyl‐1,3‐dioxane. The radical polymerization reactions of both monomers, under the same conditions of temperature, solvent, monomer, and initiator concentrations, were studied to investigate the influence of the monomer configuration on the values of the propagation and termination rate constants (k_p and k_t ).The values of the ratio k_p /k_t ^1/2 were determined by UV spectroscopy by the measurement of the changes of absorbance with time at several wavelengths in the range 275–285 nm, where an appropriate change in absorbance was observed. Reliable values of the kinetics constants were determined by UV spectroscopy, showing a very good reproducibility of the kinetic experiments. The values of k_p /k_t ^1/2, in the temperature interval 45–65 °C, lay in the range 0.40–0.50 L^1/2/mol^1/2s^1/2 and 0.20–0.30 L^1/2/mol^1/2s^1/2 for CCDM and TCDM, respectively. Measurements of both the radical concentrations and the absolute rate constants k_p and k_t were also carried out with electron paramagnetic resonance techniques. The values of k_p at 60 °C were nearly identical for both the trans and cis monomers, but the termination rate constant of the trans monomer was about three times that of the cis monomer at the same temperature. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 3883–3891, 2000     

Radical ring‐opening copolymerization behavior of vinyloxirane: Synthesis of copolymer from 2‐isopropenyl‐3‐phenyloxirane and styrene and its functionalization

The radical ring‐opening copolymerization of 2‐isopropenyl‐3‐phenyloxirane (1) with styrene (St) was examined to obtain the copolymer [copoly(1‐St)] with a vinyl ether moiety in the main chain. The copolymers were obtained in moderate yields by copolymerization in various feed ratios of 1 and St over 120 °C; the number‐average molecular weights (M_n) were estimated to be 1800–4200 by gel permeation chromatography analysis. The ratio of the vinyl ether and St units of copoly(1‐St) was estimated with the ¹H NMR spectra and varied from 1/7 to 1/14 according to the initial feed ratio of 1 and St. The haloalkoxylation of copoly(1‐St) with ethylene glycol in the presence of N‐chlorosuccinimide produced a new copolymer with alcohol groups and chlorine atoms in the side group in a high yield. The M_n value of the haloalkoxylated polymer was almost the same as that of the starting copoly(1‐St). The incorporated halogen was determined by elemental analysis. The analytical result indicated that over 88% of the vinyl ether groups participated in the haloalkoxylation. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 3729–3735, 2000     

Kinetic and ESR studies on the radical polymerization of α‐n‐(α′‐methylbenzyl) β‐ethyl itaconamates derived from racemic and (s)‐α‐methylbenzylamines

The polymerization of α‐N‐(α′‐methylbenzyl) β‐ethyl itaconamate derived from racemic α‐methylbenzylamine (RS‐MBEI) by initiation with dimethyl 2,2′‐azobisisobutyrate (MAIB) was studied in methanol kinetically and with ESR spectroscopy. The overall activation energy of polymerization was calculated to be 47 kJ/mol, a very low value. The polymerization rate (R_p ) at 60 °C was expressed by R_p = k[MAIB]^0.5±0.05[RS‐MBEI]^2.9±0.1. The rate constants of propagation (k_p ) and termination (k_t ) were determined by ESR. k_p was very low, ranging from 0.3 to 0.8 L/mol s, and increased with the monomer concentration, whereas k_t (4–17 × l0⁴ L/mol s) decreased with the monomer concentration. Such behaviors of k_p and k_t were responsible for the high dependence of R_p on the monomer concentration. R_p depended considerably on the solvent used. S‐MBEI, derived from (S)‐α‐methylbenzylamine, showed somewhat lower homopolymerizability than RS‐MBEI. The k_p value of RS‐MBEI at 60 °C in benzene was 1.5 times that of S‐MBEI. This was explicable in terms of the different molecular associations of RS‐MBEI and S‐MBEI, as analyzed by ¹H NMR. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 4137–4146, 2000     

1‐(2,6‐dibenzhydryl‐4‐fluorophenylimino)‐2‐aryliminoacenaphthylylnickel halides highly polymerizing ethylene for the polyethylenes with high branches and molecular weights

A series of 1‐(2,6‐dibenzhydryl‐4‐fluorophenylimino)‐ 2‐aryliminoacenaphthylene derivatives ( L1–L5 ) and their halonickel complexes LNiX₂ (X = Br, Ni1–Ni5 ; X = Cl, Ni6–Ni10 ) are synthesized and well characterized. The molecular structures of representative complexes Ni2 and Ni4 are confirmed as the distorted tetrahedron geometry around nickel atom by the single crystal X‐ray diffraction. Upon activation with methylaluminoxane, all nickel complexes show high activities up to 1.49 × 10⁷ g of PE (mol of Ni)^?1 h^?1 toward ethylene polymerization, producing polyethylenes with high branches and molecular weights up to 1.62 × 10⁶ g mol^?1 as well as narrow polydispersity. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015 , 53, 1369–1378     

Synthesis of some poly(4‐alkyl‐4‐azaheptamethylene‐D‐glucaramides)

Six 4‐alkyl‐4‐azaheptane‐1,7‐diamines, characterized as their solid bis(D ‐gluconamides), were prepared in a two‐step synthesis: bis(cyanoethylation) of the primary alkylamines (C₈–C₁₈, even‐numbered) followed by an efficient lithium aluminum hydride reduction of the resulting bisnitriles. The azadiamines were then used as monomers in condensation polymerizations with methyl D ‐glucarate 1,4‐lactone in a methanol solution, yielding polyhydroxypolyaminopolyamides isolated directly as white solids with varying hydrophobic/hydrophilic character. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 3892–3899, 2000     

Functional syndiotactic poly(β‐hydroxyalkanoate)s via stereoselective ring‐opening copolymerization of rac‐β‐butyrolactone and rac‐allyl‐β‐butyrolactone

The copolymerization of racemic β‐butyrolactone (rac‐BL^Me) with racemic “allyl‐β‐butyrolactone” (rac‐BL^allyl) in toluene, catalyzed by the discrete amino‐alkoxy‐bis(phenolate) yttrium‐amido complex 1 , gave new poly(β‐hydroxyalkanoate)s with unsaturated side chains. The poly(BL^Me‐co‐BL^allyl) copolymers produced have a highly syndiotactic backbone structure (P_r = 0.80–0.84) with a random enchainment of monomer units, as evidenced by ¹³C NMR, and high molecular weight (M_n up to 58,000 g mol^?1) with a narrow polydispersity (M_w/M_n = 1.07–1.37), as determined by GPC. The comonomer incorporation (5–50 mol % rac‐BL^allyl) was a linear function of the feed ratio. The pendant vinyl bond of the side‐chains in those poly(BL^Me‐co‐BL^allyl) copolymers allowed the effective introduction of hydroxy or epoxy groups via dihydroxylation, hydroboration‐oxidation or epoxidation reactions. NMR studies indicated that all of these transformations proceed in an essentially quantitative conversion and do not affect the macromolecular architecture. Some thermal properties (T_m, ΔH_m, T_g) of the prepared polymers have been also evaluated. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 3177–3189, 2009     

Higher α‐olefin polymerizations catalyzed by rac‐Me2Si(1‐C5H2‐2‐CH3‐4‐tBu)2Zr(NMe2)2/Al(iBu)3/[Ph3C][B(C6F5)4]

Polymerizations of higher α‐olefins, 1‐pentene, 1‐hexene, 1‐octene, and 1‐decene were carried out at 30 °C in toluene by using highly isospecific rac‐Me₂Si(1‐C₅H₂‐2‐CH₃‐4‐^t Bu)₂Zr(NMe₂)₂ (rac‐1) compound in the presence of Al(iBu)₃/[CPh₃][B(C₆F₅)₄] as a cocatalyst formulation. Both the bulkiness of monomer and the lateral size of polymer influenced the activity of polymerization. The larger lateral of polymer chain opens the π‐ligand of active site wide and favors the insertion of monomer, while the large size of monomer inserts itself into polymer chain more difficultly due to the steric hindrance. Highly isotactic poly(α‐olefin)s of high molecular weight (MW) were produced. The MW decreased from polypropylene to poly(1‐hexene), and then increased from poly(1‐hexene) to poly(1‐decene). The isotacticity (as [mm] triad) of the polymer decreased with the increased lateral size in the order: poly(1‐pentene) > poly(1‐hexene) > poly(1‐octene) > poly(1‐decene). The similar dependence of the lateral size on the melting point of polymer was recorded by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). ¹H NMR analysis showed that vinylidene group resulting from β‐H elimination and saturated methyl groups resulting from chain transfer to cocatalyst are the main end groups of polymer chain. The vinylidene and internal double bonds are also identified by Raman spectroscopy. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 1687–1697, 2000     

Synthesis and characterization of functional polysilanes [RMe2Si(CH2)x(Me)Si]n (R = 2‐Fu, 5‐Me‐2‐Fu, 2‐Th, 4‐Me‐2‐Th; x = 2, 3) with appended furyl/thienyl groups on the carbosilyl side chains and their application in the generation and stabilization of palladium nanoparticles

The polysilanes [RMe₂Si(CH₂)_x(Me)Si]_n [x = 2, 3; R = 2‐Fu ( 1, 2 ), 5‐Me‐2‐Fu ( 3, 4 )] bearing furyl‐substituted carbosilyl side chains have been synthesized by dehalocondensation reaction (Wurtz coupling) of the corresponding carbosilanes using sodium dispersion in refluxing toluene. On the other hand, analogous polysilanes with appended thienyl groups [x = 2, 3; R = 2‐Th ( 5, 6 ), 4‐Me‐2‐Th ( 7, 8 )] are only accessible by the reaction of the corresponding carbosilane precursors under mild Wurtz coupling conditions (THF, RT). These polysilanes reveal monomodal molecular weight distribution with M_w/PDI = 3.3–5.4 × 10⁴/1.22–1.47 ( 1–4 ) and 9.1–14.4 × 10⁴/1.45–1.61 ( 5–8 ) and are characterized by FT‐IR, multinuclear (¹H, ¹³C{¹H}, ²⁹Si{¹H}) NMR, and UV/PL spectral studies as well as thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Preliminary studies on the reactivity of polysilane 2 with palladium acetate (toluene, RT) reveal the formation of spherical palladium nanoparticles of size 8.2 ± 0.6 nm, which remain stable in solution for several weeks. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 7816–7826, 2008     

Effect of reaction parameters on the dispersion polymerization of 1‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone

Nonporous hydrogel microspheres 0.1–1.3 μm in diameter were prepared by the dispersion copolymerization of 1‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone and ethylene dimethacrylate as a crosslinking agent. The crosslinking was evidenced by solid state ¹³C NMR and elemental analysis. The effect of various parameters including selection of solvent (cyclohexane, butyl acetate), initiator (4,4′‐azobis(4‐cyanopentanoic acid), 2,2′‐azobisisobutyronitrile, dibenzoyl peroxide) and stabilizer on the properties of resulting microspheres has been studied. Dynamic light scattering and photographic examination were used for determination of the diameter and polydispersity of microspheres. Increasing concentration of steric stabilizer in the initial polymerization mixture decreased the particle size. The particle size depended on the molecular weight of polystyrene‐block‐hydrogenated polyisoprene stabilizer, but not on the number of PS and polybutadiene blocks in the styrene–butadiene block copolymer stabilizers. Dibenzoyl peroxide used as an initiator resulted in agglomeration of particles. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 653–663, 2000     

High molecular weight atactic polypropene synthesized with (η5‐pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)tribenzyl titanium activated with MAO

The half‐titanocene (η⁵‐pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)tribenzyl titanium (Cp*TiBz₃) with methylaluminoxane (MAO) as the cocatalyst was employed to catalyze propene polymerization at ambient pressure. A novel atactic polypropene elastomer with a high molecular weight (M̄_w = 2 − 8 × 10⁵) was produced. The effects of the polymerization conditions on the catalytic activity and polymer molecular weight are discussed. ¹³C NMR analysis confirmed that the catalyst system Cp*TiBz₃/MAO produced atactic polypropenes, and the polymerization mechanism was in agreement with the Bernoullian process. The triad sequence distribution of the polymer was measured and found to be as follows: mm = 6.15%, mr = 40.87%, and rr = 52.98% (Bernoullian factor B = 1.03); this indicated that the insertion of propene with the catalyst system followed a chain‐end control model. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 411–415, 2000     

The influence of phenylsilane on the syndiotactic polymerization of styrene with η5‐pentamethylcyclopentadienyl titanium trifluoride

The syndiotactic polystyrene polymerization activity of a fluorinated half‐sandwich complex, η⁵‐pentamethylcyclopentadienyl titanium trifluoride (Cp*TiF₃), in the presence of relatively low amounts of methylalumoxane (MAO; MAO/Cp*TiF₃ molar ratio = 200/1) and triisobutylaluminum, is significantly increased by the addition of phenylsilane in molar ratios to Cp*TiF₃ ranging from about 300/1 to 600/1, if the phenylsilane is added to the monomer. Lower amounts of phenylsilane, such as a 100/1 molar ratio to Cp*TiF₃, lead to a reduced polymerization activity in comparison with styrene without phenylsilane. A prereaction of phenylsilane with the catalyst mixture shows a behavior that is strongly dependent on the storage time of the composition and the temperature. A storage time of about 16 h is sufficient to reduce the polymerization conversion to about half of the original value. The results are discussed on the basis of a chain‐transfer reaction with phenylsilane and several catalyst complexes of different stabilities and activities, including an alkylation product of phenylsilane. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 3476–3485, 2000     

Isothiourea‐based lewis pairs for homopolymerization and copolymerization of 2,2‐dimethyltrimethylene carbonate with ε‐caprolactone and ω‐pentadecalactone

In this study, the homopolymerization of 2,2‐dimethyltrimethylene carbonate (DTC) and its copolymerizations with ε‐caprolactone (CL) were carried out in detail using the isothiourea‐based Lewis pairs comprised 2,3,6,7‐tetrahydro‐5H‐thiazolo(3,2‐a)pyrimidine and magnesium halides (MgX₂) with benzyl alcohol (BnOH) as the initiator. The copolymerization of DTC and CL via one‐pot addition produced randomly sequenced copolymers. On the other hand, a well‐defined linear poly(ε‐caprolactone)–block–poly(2,2‐dimethyltrimethylene carbonate) (PCL‐b‐PDTC) diblock copolymer was prepared by simple sequential ring‐opening polymerization of CL and DTC. In addition, poly(ω‐pentadecalactone)–block–PDTC diblock copolymer was successfully prepared by the same strategy. Moreover, PDTC–poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)–PDTC triblock copolymer was synthesized in the presence of PEG 2000. The effects of different polymerization conditions on the polymerization reactions have been systematically discussed. The resulting polymers were characterized by the ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐ToF MS). The block copolyester structures were confirmed by the ¹³C NMR spectroscopy and DSC characterizations. These results indicated that the supposed mechanism was a dual catalytic mechanism. The proposed mechanism involved activation of the monomer via coordination to the MgX₂, and the initiator alcohol was deprotonated by base. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 2349–2355