Polymerization and copolymerization of some epoxides by potassium tert-butoxide in DMSO

Copolymerization of tritiated PGE with analogs and with propylene oxide by potassium tert-butoxide in DMSO shows that this anionic polymerization is favored by electron-withdrawing groups. The homopolymerization of PGE and its p-chloro and p-methoxy analogs gives polymer with molecular weight limited by chain transfer. For PGE, where this limit is about 7000, some of the polymer is insoluble, crystalline isotactic material.