Living cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers by electrophile/lewis acid initiating systems. XII. Phosphoric and phosphinic acids/zinc chloride initiating systems for isobutyl vinyl ether

Phosphoric and phosphinic acid derivatives (R¹R²PO₂H; R¹, R² = OPh, OPh; OnBu, OnBu; Ph, Ph; Ph, H) in conjunction with zinc chloride (ZnCl₂) led to living cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE) in toluene below 0°C. The number-average molecular weights (M?_n) of the polymers (M?_n > 2 × 10⁴) were directly proportional to monomer conversion and in excellent agreement with the calculated values assuming that one polymer chain forms per R¹R²PO₂H molecule. Throughout the reaction, the molecular weight distributions (MWDs) stayed narrow (M?_w/M?_n ? 1.1). A dibasic acid, PhOP (O) (OH)₂, coupled with ZnCl₂, also induced living cationic polymerization of IBVE where one molecule of the acid generated two living polymer chains. The polymerization by (PhO)₂PO₂H/ZnCl₂ and its model reactions were directly analyzed by ³¹P and ¹H-NMR spectroscopy. The analysis showed that the acid initially forms the adduct [CH₃CH(OiBu)OP(O)(OPh)₂], the phosphate linkage of which is in turn activated by ZnCl₂ so as to initiate living propagation. The finding thus indicates that (PhO)₂PO₂H indeed acts as an initiator in the living polymerization. The NMR analysis also suggested that an exchange reaction occurs between the phosphate group at the polymer terminal and the chlorine in ZnCl₂. The occurrence of living IBVE polymerization with these various R¹R²PO₂H/ZnCl₂ systems shows that phosphoric and phosphinic acids are another general class of protonic acids which are effective initiators for the living cationic polymerization assisted by Lewis acids. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Living cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers by electrophile/lewis acid initiating systems. VII. Living cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether by trimethylsilyl halide/zinc halide initiating systems in the presence of p-methoxybenzaldehyde: Effects of halide anions and zinc halides

Trimethylsilyl halides (Me₃SiY), in conjunction with zinc halides (ZnX₂) (Y and X:I, Br, Cl), were employed to investigate the living cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE) in toluene at ?15°C in the presence of p-methoxybenzaldehyde; with the aldehyde and IBVE monomer, Me₃SiY yields an initiating species [Me₃Si? O? CHC₆H₄(OM_e) ? CH₂CH(OiBu) ? Y] that triggers the IBVE polymerization via the activation of its carbon-halogen bond (C? Y) by ZnX₂ into C^δ+…?Y^δ?…?ZnX₂. Living polymerizations occurred with the silyl iodide and bromide irrespective of the type of ZnX₂, either when Y = X (Me₃Sil/Znl₂ and Me₃SiBr/ZnBr₂) or when Y ≠ X (Me₃Sil/ZnBr₂, Me₃SiI/ZnCl₂, and Me₃SiBr/Znl₂). With these five initiating systems, the number-average molecular weights (M?_n) of the polymers increased in proportion to monomer conversion, and the molecular weight distributions (MWDs) of the polymers were narrow (M?_w/M?_n = 1.1?1.2). The Me₃SiCl-based systems (Me₃SiCl/ZnCl₂ and Me₃SiCl/Znl₂), in (Me₃SiCl/Znl₂), in contrast, failed to give perfectly living polymerization; the M?_n indeed increased with conversion, but the MWDs of the polymers were broader (M?_w/M?_n = 1.3?1.5). Thus, the living nature of the polymerizations with Me₃SiY/Znx₂ is primarily determined by the halogen Y in Me₃SiY, which generates the terminal carbon-halogen bond (C? Y) that is activated by ZnX₂ for the propagation via a species C^δ+…?Y^δ?…?ZnX₂. For Y^?, not only the iodide but the bromide anion also is suited for living cationic polymerization. The virtual absence of the effects of X in ZnX₂ implies that the halogen exchange between ZnX₂ and Y from Me₃ SiY at the growing end (C^λ+…?Y^δ?…?ZnX₂ ?C^δ+…?X^δ?…?ZnXY) is absent or negligible.     

Rapid living cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers by a single‐molecular initiating system

Initiated by an organic molecule trifluoromethanesulfonimide (HNTf₂) without any Lewis acid or Lewis base stabilizer, cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE) takes place rapidly and the polymerization is proved to be in a controlled/living manner. The conversion of IBVE could easily achieve 99% in seconds. The product poly(isobutyl vinyl ether) is narrowly distributed and its molecular weight increases linearly with time and fits well with the corresponding theoretical value. This single‐molecular initiating system also works well in the living cationic polymerization of ethyl vinyl ether. HNTf₂ is considered playing multiple roles which include initiator, activator, and stabilizer in the polymerization. It is quite different from the hydrogen halide‐catalyzed polymerizations of vinyl ethers. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 1373‐1377     

Living carbocationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether and the synthesis of poly[isobutylene-b-(isobutyl vinyl ether)]

The MeCH(O-i-Bu)Cl/TiCl₄/MeCONMe₂ initiating system was found to induce the rapid living carbocationic polymerization (LC^⊕Pzn) of isobutyl vinyl ether (IBuVE) at ?100°C. Degradation by dealcoholation which usually accompanies the polymerization of alkyl vinyl ethers by strong Lewis acids is “frozen out” at this low temperature and poly(isobutyl vinyl ether)s (PIBuVEs) with theoretical molecular weights up to ca. 40,000 g/mol (calculated from the initiator/monomer input) and narrow molecular weight distributions (M?_w/M?_n ≤ 1.2) are readily obtained. According to ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy, PIBuVEs prepared by living polymerization at ?100°C are not stereoregular. The MeCH(O-i-Bu)Cl/TiCl₄ combination induces the rapid LC^⊕Pzn of IBuVE even in the absence of N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMA). The addition of the common ion salt, n-Bu₄NCl to the latter system retards the polymerization and meaningful kinetic information can be obtained. The kinetic findings have been explained in terms of TiCl₄. IBuVE and TiCl₄ · IBuVE and TiCl₄ · PIBuVE complexes. The HCl (formal initiator)/TiCl₄/DMA combination is the first initiating system that can be regarded to induce the LC^⊕Pzn of both isobutylene (IB) and IBuVE. Polyisobutylene (PIB)–PIBuVE diblocks were prepared by sequential monomer addition in “one pot” by the 2-chloro-2,4,4-trimethylpentane (TMP-Cl)/TiCl₄/DMA initiating system. Crossover efficiencies are, however, below 35% because the PIB^⊕ + IBuVE → PIB-b-PIBuVE^⊕ crossover is slow. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Living cationic polymerization of vinyl ether with a cyclic acetal group

The living cationic polymerization of 5‐ethyl‐2‐methyl‐5‐(vinyloxymethyl)‐1,3‐dioxane ( 1 ), a vinyl ether with a cyclic acetal unit, was investigated with various initiating systems in toluene or methylene chloride at 0 to ?30 °C. With initiating systems such as hydrogen chloride (HCl)/zinc chloride (ZnCl₂), isobutyl vinyl ether–acetic acid adduct [CH₃CH(OiBu)OCOCH₃]/tin tetrabromide (SnBr₄)/di‐tert‐butylpyridine (DTBP), and CH₃CH(OiBu)OCOCH₃/ethylaluminum sesquichloride (Et_1.5AlCl_1.5)/ethyl acetate (CH₃COOEt), the number‐average molecular weights (M_n's) of the obtained poly( 1 )s increased in direct proportion to the monomer conversion and produced polymers with relatively narrow molecular weight distributions [MWDs; weight‐average molecular weight/number‐average molecular weight (M_w/M_n) = 1.2–1.3]. To investigate the living nature of the polymerization with CH₃CH(OiBu)OCOCH₃/SnBr₄/DTBP, a second monomer feed was added to the almost polymerized reaction mixture. The added monomer was completely consumed, and the M_n values of the polymers showed a direct increase against the conversion of the added monomer, indicating the formation of a long‐lived propagating species. The glass transition temperature and thermal decomposition temperature of poly( 1 ) (e.g., M_n = 13,600, M_w/M_n = 1.30) were 29 and 308 °C, respectively. The cyclic acetal group in the pendants of the polymer of 1 could be converted to the corresponding two hydroxy groups in a 65% yield by an acid‐catalyzed hydrolysis reaction. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 4855–4866, 2007     

Living cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether by EtAlCl2 in the presence of ether additives: Cyclic ethers,cyclic formals,and acyclic ethers with oxyethylene units

The living cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE) was investigated in the presence of various cyclic and acyclic ethers with 1-(isobutoxy)ethyl acetate [CH₃CH(OiBu)OCOCH₃, 1 ]/EtAlCl₂ initiating system in hexane at 0°C. In particular, the effect of the basicity and steric hindrance of the ethers on the living nature and the polymerization rate was studied. The polymerization in the presence of a wide variety of cyclic ethers [tetrahydrofuran (THF), tetrahydropyran (THP), oxepane, 1,4-dioxane] and cyclic formals (1,3-dioxolane, 1,3-dioxane) gave living polymers with a very narrow molecular weight distribution (MWD) (M?_ω/M?_n ≤ 1.1). On the other hand, propylene oxide and oxetane additives resulted in no polymerization, whereas 1,3,5-trioxane gave the nonliving polymer with a broader MWD. The polymerization rates were dependent on the number of oxygen and ring sizes, which were related to the basicity and the steric hindrance. The order of the apparent polymerization rates in the presence of cyclic ether and formal additives was as follows: nonadditive ～ 1,3,5-trioxane ? 1,3-dioxane > 1,3-dioxolane ? 1,4-dioxane ? THP > oxepane ? THF ? oxetane, propylene oxide ? 0. The polymerization in the presence of the cyclic formals was much faster than that of the cyclic ethers: for example, the apparent propagation rate constant k in the presence of 1,3-dioxolane was 10³ times larger than that in the presence of THF. Another series of experiments showed that acyclic ethers with oxyethylene units were effective as additives for the living polymerization with 1 /EtAlCl₂ initiating system in hexane at 0°C. The polymers obtained in the presence of ethylene glycol diethyl ether and diethylene glycol diethyle ether had very narrow molecular weight distribution (M?_ω/M?_n ≤ 1.1), and the M?_n was directly proportional to the monomer conversion. The polymerization behavior was quite different in the polymerization rates and the MWD of the obtained polymers from that in the presence of diethyl ether. These results suggested the polydentate-type interaction or the alternate interaction of two or three ether oxygens in oxyethylene units with the propagating carbocation, to permit the living polymerization of IBVE. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Living cationic polymerization of 2‐adamantyl vinyl ether

Living cationic polymerization of 2‐adamantyl vinyl ether (2‐vinyloxytricyclo[3.3.1.1]^3,7decane; 2‐AdVE) was achieved with the CH₃CH(OiBu)OCOCH₃/ethylaluminum sesquichloride/ethyl acetate [CH₃CH(OiBu)OCOCH₃/Et_1.5AlCl_1.5/CH₃COOEt] initiating system in toluene at 0 °C. The number‐average molecular weights (M_n's) of the obtained poly(2‐AdVE)s increased in direct proportion to monomer conversion and produced the polymers with narrow molecular weight distributions (MWDs) (M_w/M_n = ～1.1). When a second monomer feed was added to the almost polymerized reaction mixture, the added monomer was completely consumed and the M_n's of the polymers showed a direct increase against conversion of the added monomer. Block and statistical copolymerization of 2‐AdVE with n‐butyl vinyl ether (CH₂?CH? O? CH₂ CH₂CH₂CH₃; NBVE) were possible via living process based on the same initiating system to give the corresponding copolymers with narrow MWDs. Grass transition temperature (T_g) and thermal decomposition temperature (T_d) of the poly(2‐AdVE) (e.g., M_n = 22,000, M_w/M_n = 1.17) were 178 and 323 °C, respectively. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 1629–1637, 2008     

Living cationic polymerization of amide‐functional vinyl ethers: Specific properties of SnCl4‐based initiating system

Living cationic copolymerization of amide‐functional vinyl ethers with isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE) was achieved using SnCl₄ in the presence of ethyl acetate at 0 °C: the number–average molecular weight of the obtained polymers increased in direct proportion to the monomer conversion with relatively low polydispersity, and the amide‐functional monomer units were introduced almost quantitatively. To optimize the reaction conditions, cationic polymerization of IBVE in the presence of amide compounds, as a model reaction, was also examined using various Lewis acids in dichloromethane. The combination of SnCl₄ and ethyl acetate induced living cationic polymerization of IBVE at 0 °C when an amide compound, whose nitrogen is adjacent to a phenyl group, was used. The versatile performance of SnCl₄ especially for achieving living cationic polymerization of various polar functional monomers was demonstrated in this study as well as in our previous studies. Thus, the specific properties of the SnCl₄ initiating system are discussed by comparing with the Et_xAlCl_3?x systems from viewpoints of hard and soft acids and bases principle and computational chemistry. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 6129–6141, 2008     

Living cationic polymerization of an azide‐containing vinyl ether toward addressable functionalization of polymers

We first achieved the living cationic polymerization of azide‐containing monomer, 2‐azidoethyl vinyl ether (AzVE), with SnCl₄ as a catalyst (activator) in conjunction with the HCl adduct of a vinyl ether [H‐CH₂CH(OR)‐Cl; R ? CH₂CH₂Cl, CH₂CH(CH₃)₂]. Despite the potentially poisoning azide group, the produced polymers possessed controlled molecular weights and fairly narrow distributions (M_w/M_n ～ 1.2) and gave block polymers with 2‐chloroethyl vinyl ether. The pendent azide groups are easily converted into various functional groups via mild and selective reactions, such as the Staudinger reduction and copper‐catalyzed azide‐alkyne 1,3‐cycloaddition (CuAAC; a “click” reaction). These reactions led to quantitative pendent functionalization into primary amine (? NH₂), hydroxy (? OH), and carboxyl (? COOH) groups, at room temperature and without any acidic or basic treatment. Thus, poly(AzVE) is a versatile precursor for a wide variety of functional vinyl ether polymers with well‐defined structures and molecular weights. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 1449–1455, 2010     

Living cationic polymerization of n‐butyl propenyl ether

Cationic polymerization of n‐butyl propenyl ether (BuPE; CH₃CH CHOBu, cis/trans = 64/36) was examined with the HCl–IBVE (isobutyl vinyl ether) adduct/ZnCl₂ initiating system at −15 ∼ −78 °C in nonpolar (hexane, toluene) and polar (dichloromethane) solvents, specifically focusing on the feasibility of its living polymerization. In contrast to alkyl vinyl ethers, the living nature of the growing species in the BuPE polymerization was sensitive to polymerization temperature and solvent. For example, living cationic polymerization of IBVE can be achieved even at 0 °C with HCl–IBVE/ZnCl₂, whereas for BuPE whose β‐methyl group may cause steric hindrance ideal living polymerization occurred only at −78 °C. Another interesting feature of this polymerization is that the polymerization rate in hexane is as large as in dichloromethane, much larger than in toluene. A new method in determining the ratio of the living growing ends to the deactivated ones was developed with a devised monomer‐addition experiments, in which IBVE that can be polymerized in a living fashion below 0 °C was added to the almost completely polymerized solution of BuPE. The amount of the deactivated chain ends became small in hexane even at −40 °C in contrast to other solvents. Thus hexane turned out an excellent solvent for living cationic polymerization of BuPE. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 229–236, 2000     

Living cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether using a variety of metal oxides as heterogeneous catalysts: Robust,reusable, and environmentally benign initiating systems

Cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE) was examined using a variety of metal oxides in conjunction with IBVE–HCl adduct as a cationogen in toluene at 0 °C. Iron oxides (α‐Fe₂O₃, γ‐Fe₂O₃, and Fe₃O₄) induced living polymerization in the presence of an added base, ethyl acetate or 1,4‐dioxane, to give polymers with very narrow molecular weight distributions (MWDs). Conversely, with other metal oxides such as Ga₂O₃, In₂O₃, ZnO, Co₃O₄, and Bi₂O₃, polymers with bimodal MWDs, including long‐lived species along with uncontrolled higher molecular weight portions, were produced in the presence of an added base. A small amount of nBu₄NCl or 2,6‐di‐tert‐butylpyridine (DTBP) suppressed the uncontrolled portion to induce controlled reactions with Ga₂O₃, In₂O₃, and ZnO. The roles of these reagents are discussed in terms of the nature of the active sites of the catalyst surface and the polymerization mechanisms. In addition, the reusability of the catalyst, the effect of stirring before and during polymerization, and the estimation of the number of active sites are also described. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 916–926, 2010     

Living cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers with a urethane group

To study the possibility of living cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers with a urethane group, 4‐vinyloxybutyl n‐butylcarbamate ( 1 ) and 4‐vinyloxybutyl phenylcarbamate ( 2 ) were polymerized with the hydrogen chloride/zinc chloride initiating system in methylene chloride solvent at ?30 °C ([monomer]₀ = 0.30 M, [HCl]₀/[ZnCl₂]₀ = 5.0/2.0 mM). The polymerization of 1 was very slow and gave only low‐molecular‐weight polymers with a number‐average molecular weight (M_n) of about 2000 even at 100% monomer conversion. The structural analysis of the products showed occurrence of chain‐transfer reactions because of the urethane group of monomer 1 . In contrast, the polymerization of vinyl ether 2 proceeded much faster than 1 and led to high‐molecular‐weight polymers with narrow molecular weight distributions (MWDs ≤ ～1.2) in quantitative yield. The M_n's of the product polymers increased in direct proportion to monomer conversion and continued to increase linearly after sequential addition of a fresh monomer feed to the almost completely polymerized reaction mixture, whereas the MWDs of the polymers remained narrow. These results indicated the formation of living polymer from vinyl ether 2 . The difference of living nature between monomers 1 and 2 was attributable to the difference of the electron‐withdrawing power of the carbamate substituents, namely, n‐butyl for 1 versus phenyl for 2 , of the monomers. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 2960–2972, 2004     

Tetradentate schiff base ligand/MCln initiating systems for the controlled cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether: Effects of the ligand framework

We investigated the cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers using metal complex catalysts with salen and salphen ligands. Metal complexes were generated in situ from the reaction of a ligand and a metal chloride. The choice of a ligand and a central metal was crucial for tuning the catalyst function such as catalytic activity and controllability of the polymerization. Among metal chlorides employed, ZrCl₄ was the most efficient for controlled polymerization. Cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE) proceeded using the salen and salphen‐type ligand/ZrCl₄ initiating systems, yielding polymers with predetermined molecular weights and narrow molecular weight distributions. Importantly, the structural effects of the complex catalysts were responsible for the polymerization behavior. For example, the polymerization using the salen‐type ligand/ZrCl₄ system was much slower than that using the salphen‐type ligand/ZrCl₄ system. In addition, the polymerization of IBVE using the salen‐type ligand/FeCl₃ system proceeded in a controlled manner, which was in contrast to uncontrolled polymerization using the salphen‐type ligand/FeCl₃ system. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019 , 57, 989–996     

Role of added Lewis base and alkylaluminum halide on living cationic polymerization of vinyl ether

In the living cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE) by the CH₃CH (OiBu) OCOCH₃ ( 1 )/EtAlCl₂ initiating system in the presence of the added base in hexane at +40°C, the stability of the initiating system 1 /EtAlCl₂, which form initiating species CH₃CH^⊕ (OiBu) derived from 1 , was investigated. In the presence of the Lewis base such as ethyl acetate or 1,4-dioxane, the active species was stable for 300 min even at +40°C in the absence of IBVE, and the living polymers were quantitatively obtained by adding IBVE. However, the active species was partly consumed by side reactions during the standing time for 60 min in the presence of a less basic additive such as ethyl benzoate, and about 50% of the active species was deactivated in the presence of methyl chloroacetate. Consequently, in the case of a less basic additive such as methyl chloroacetate (which was effective for the fast living polymerization), it can be seen that the careful selection of polymerization conditions was required. The living polymerization rate was dependent on the second order of EtAlCl₂ concentration. EtAlCl₂ induced the cleavage of 1 into CH₃CH^⊕ (OiBu) and EtAl^?Cl₂(OCOCH₃), and the reactivity of CH₃CH^⊕ (OiBu) and propagating carbocation may be controlled by EtAl^?Cl₂(OCOCH₃) with the aid of other EtAlCl₂. Et_1.5AlCl_1.5 exists as a bimetallic complex of EtAlCl₂ and Et₂AlCl, and it is expected that the polymers having a bimodal molecular weight distribution will be obtained due to two kinds of counteranions coming from EtAlCl₂ and Et₂AlCl. However, in the cationic polymerization of IBVE by 1 /Et_1.5AlCl_1.5 in the presence of ethyl acetate, the living polymer exhibiting a unimodal and very narrow molecular weight distribution was obtained. Thereby, it was suggested that the counteranions, EtAl^?Cl₂(OCOCH₃) and Et₂Al^?Cl(OCOCH₃), exchange rapidly with each other. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether coinitiated with heteropolyacid or its salts in aqueous medium

The suspension cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE) in aqueous medium could be achieved by using H₃PW₁₂O₄₀, AlPW₁₂O₄₀, FePW₁₂O₄₀, K₃PW₁₂O₄₀, or Na₃PW₁₂O₄₀ as efficient water‐tolerant coinitiators in the presence of HCl. The addition reaction of IBVE with H₂O occurred to form IBVE–H₂O adduct and then subsequent decomposition immediately took place or turned to acetaldehyde diisobutyl acetal (A) in the presence of AlPW₁₂O₄₀, and ( A ) decomposed rapidly to form 2‐isobutanol ( B ) and acetaldehyde ( C ). Cationic polymerization of IBVE in aqueous medium was promoted greatly with increasing HCl concentration and proceeded extremely rapidly to get high polymer yield even at low concentration of AlPW₁₂O₄₀ of 0.3 mM. A sufficient amount of HCl was needed to decrease the hydrolysis of initiator IBVE–HCl and to accelerate the polymerization in aqueous medium simultaneously. The yield and molecular weight of poly(IBVE) increased with increasing concentrations of HCl and AlPW₁₂O₄₀ or with decreasing temperature. The isotactic‐rich poly(IBVE)s with m diad of around 60%, having M_n of 1200–4500 g mol^?1 and monomodal molecular weight distribution could be obtained via cationic polymerization of IBVE in aqueous medium. This is the first example of cationic polymerization of IBVE in aqueous medium coinitiated by heteropolyacid and its salts. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Living cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers with carboxylic acid/tin tetrahalide initiating systems. II. Effects of steric hindrance of carboxylate counteranions

Effects of steric crowding of the substituent of carboxylate counteranions on living cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE) were investigated with the use of two series of carboxylic acids with various carbonyl substituents [RCOOH; R = (aliphatic series) CH₃CH₂, (CH₃)₂CH, (CH₃)₃C; (aromatic series) C₆H₅CH₂, (C₆H₅)₂CH, (C₆H₅)₃C] in conjunction with tin tetrabromide (SnBr₄) and 1,4-dioxane (DO) in toluene at 0°C. The overall polymerization rate increased with increasing the bulkiness of the substituents R in both the series: R = CH₃ (1) ≃ CH₃CH₂ (1) < (CH₃)₂CH (1.76) < (CH₃)₃C (2.31); C₆H₅CH₂ (0.84) < (C₆H₅)₂CH (0.98) < (C₆H₅)₃C (1.74); the values in the parentheses show the relative polymerization rate. In all the polymerizations, the number-average molecular weight (M_n) of the polymers was directly proportional to monomer conversion and in good agreement with the calculated values, assuming that one RCOOH molecule forms one polymer chain. The living nature of these polymerizations was further confirmed by a linear increase in M_n of the polymers upon sequential addition of a fresh monomer feed to the almost completely polymerized reaction mixtures. In the polymerizations with sterically less hindered carboxylic acids [R = CH₃CH₂, (CH₃)₂CH, C₆H₅CH₂, (C₆H₅)₂CH], the molecular weight distribution (MWD) of the polymers was very narrow (M_w/M_n < 1.1) throughout the polymerizations. In contrast, with bulkier substituent-containing counterparts [R = (CH₃)₃C, (C₆H₅)₃C], the polymerizations led to the polymers of relatively broad MWD (M_w/M_n ≅ 1.5 at ca. 100% monomer conversion). The bulky substituents such as (CH₃)₃C and (C₆H₅)₃C may decrease the interconversion rate between a dormant and an active species and increase the time-average concentration of the active growing species. The stereoregularity of the obtained polymers was not changed much with the steric environment of the counteranion (meso: 66–69%). © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 2923–2932, 1999