Abstract: | Copolymerization between 1-methylcyclopropene (MCP) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) was studied. It took place spontaneously even at a low temperature, and was found to be consistent with polymerization by a “living” radical, as suggested by the increase of reduced viscosity with conversion and by the formation of block polymers in the presence of acrylates. The rate of copolymerization was proportional to MCP]3 and SO2]2, and the overall activation energy of copolymerization was about 15.1 kcal/mole. A tentative mechanism to explain the experimental results is discussed. |