Initiation of the stereospecific polymerization of p-chlorophenylglycidyl and phenylglycidyl ethers by the Al(OiPr)3 + ZnEt2 (1:1) initiator system

The Al(OiPr)₃ + ZnEt₂ (1:1) system has been found to be an efficient initiator of the polymerization of phenylglycidyl ethers. About 40–60% of the polymer obtained was an isotactic polymer fraction (ca. 80% of iso diads). By using aluminum isopropoxide containing C¹⁴, the amount of linear polymer molecules terminated by isopropoxide groups was shown not to exceed 50%. IR spectrophotometric studies of the structure of the initiator system showed that its components form a complex compound by an exchange of substituents between the aluminum and zinc atoms.