| Abstract: | A viscometric determination of the degree of branching γ, of poly(methyl methacrylate) obtained by anionic polymerization proved the reaction of the growing center of poly(methyl methacrylate) with the ester group of another polymer molecule, accompanied by the formation of a trifunctional branch point. This reaction occurs if the solution polymerization of methyl methacrylate is initiated: (1) with butyllithium at ?78°C only on attaining 100% conversion and after a long time or at +20°C immediately after the polymerization has set in; (2) with lithium tert-butoxide at +20°C after a long time. The degree of branching of poly(methyl methacrylates) obtained under similar conditions in the presence of tetrahydrofuran reaches higher values than for polymers prepared in toluene. The tacticity of polymers does not affect the experimentally determined γ values. |
