Studies on propagating species in cationic polymerization of styrene derivatives by acetyl perchlorate or iodine. III. Effect of salt on cationic copolymerization of styrene derivatives with vinyl ethers by acetyl perchlorate

A common-ion salt, tetra-n-butylammonium perchlorate, was found to affect the monomer reactivity ratios in the cationic copolymerization by acetyl perchlorate of styrene with p-methylstyrene and of 2-chloroethyl vinyl ether with p-methylstyrene, but not those for the copolymerization of 2-chloroethyl vinyl ether with isobutyl vinyl ether. In the copolymerization of p-methylstyrene with styrene or with 2-chloroethyl vinyl ether, the addition of the common-ion salt in a polar solvent shifted the monomer reactivity ratios to those in a less polar solvent. The molecular weight distribution analysis of the copolymer suggested that the addition of the common-ion salt depresses the dissociation of propagating species. Therefore, it was concluded that a propagating species with a different degree of dissociation shows a different relative reactivity towards two monomers. The nature of propagating species was also discussed on the basis of the common-ion effect on the monomer reactivity ratios in various solvents.