A ternary initiating system for free-radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate

The effect of a benzoyl peroxide-ferrocene-3,6-bis(o-carboxybenzoyl)-N-isopropylcarbazole three-component initiating system on the free-radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate has been investigated. For this process, concentration and temperature dependences of the initial rate of reaction and the average degree of polymerization have been measured. It has been established that, when the process is carried out in the presence of both ferrocene and a carbazole derivative, the former compound predominantly affects the kinetic parameters and the average degree of polymerization. The effect of the nitrogen-containing compound comes into play as the temperature of polymerization is lowered. Poly(methyl methacrylate) prepared in the presence of the ternary system is distinguished by an increased content of syndiotactic units and by the presence of isotactic structures, thus suggesting the complex-radical mechanism of polymerization.