Polymerization systems driven by aromatization energy: Anionic polymerization of 4-allylidene-2,6-dimethyl-2,5-cyclohexadien-1-one and spiro[2,5]octadienone derivatives

To investigate the polymerization systems driven by aromatization energy, 4-allylidene-2,6-dimethyl-2,5-cyclohexadien-1-one ( Ia ), 5,7-dimethyl-1-vinylspiro2,5]octa-4,7-dien-6-one ( Ib ), 4,7-dimethyl-1-vinylspiro2,5]octa-4,7-dien-6-one Ic ], 2-vinyl-2′-methylspirocyclopropane-1,4′-(1′-naphthalenone)] ( Id ), and 2-phenyl-2′-methylspirocyclopropane-1,4′-(1′-naphthalenone)] ( Ie ) were prepared and polymerized with sodium cyanide in N,N-dimethylformamide. Monomer Ia was highly polymerizable even at ?65°C. Monomers Ib–Ie also polymerized well, giving powdery polymers that were soluble in common solvents. All the polymerizations took place through the aromatization of the cyclohexadienone ring, suggesting that the aromatization energy is the driving force for the polymerization of these monomers.