Polymerization of Vinyl Methyl Ether

Abstract

It has already been reported by C. E. Schildknecht that in the cationic polymerization of vinyl ether by using BF₃-etherate, there was a limited catalyst concentration, “Threshold value”, under which concentration polymerization never occured. It was found that the threshold value varied with the kind and amount of impurities in the monomer. The catalyst concentration required to initiate the polymerization increases with the affinity of impurities to BF₃ and the amount of impurity. From the experimental results, it was proposed that BF₃-monomer complex arising from monomer and freed BF₃ initiated the polymerization.