Complex-radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate in the presence of metallocenes

The effects of the nature of metallocene (ferrocene, titanocene dichloride, and zirconocene dichloride) and its content in benzoyl peroxide-metallocene initiating systems on the kinetics of polymerization of methyl methacrylate have been studied. The kinetic features of polymerization and changes in the molecular characteristics of poly(methyl methacrylate) indicate that the process occurs via the complex-radical mechanism. On the basis of quantum-chemical calculations, a scheme describing the formation of complex-radical centers of chain propagation for the benzoyl peroxide-ferrocene system is proposed.