Effects of iron(III) chloro complexes on the polymerization of styrene

The polymerization of styrene initiated by 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile has been studied in N,N-dimethylformamide solution at 60°C in the presence of hexakis(N,N-dimethylformamide) iron(III) tetrafluoroborate alone, and also in the presence of added lithium chloride. The presence of Fe(DMF)₆³⁺ ions in the polymerizing systems caused retardation, but iron(III) chloro complexes produced well defined inhibition periods. Velocity constants at 60°C for polystyryl radicals towards Fe(DMF)₆³⁺, Fe(DMF)₅Cl²⁺, Fe(DMF)₄Cl₂⁺, and FeCl₄^? ions were calculated to be 847, 4.15 × 10⁴, 6.55 × 10⁴, and 3.14 × 10⁴ l./mole-sec, respectively. Values of the initiator efficiency f for most systems investigated ranged from 0.59 to 0.62.