Studies in some new initiator systems for vinyl polymerization. III. Amine–halogen systems as redox initiators

Amine–halogen redox systems are very efficient initiators of polymerization of a number of vinyl monomers in benzene media and are rather inefficient initiators in aqueous media. A large number of aliphatic amines and a few aromatic amines have been used. Among the halogens, chlorine and bromine are very effective. Iodine initiates with a few amines only. Endgroups incorporated are halogen and amine totalling an average of nearly one per chain in the case of polymerization in benzene media and 0.5–0.7 per chain in polymerization in aqueous media. In the light of endgroup results, a mechanism of initiation through halogen and amine radicals has been suggested.