Polymerization of 1,3-Dienes with Functional Groups. 4.

Anionic polymerization of N,N-diethyl-2-methylene-3-butenamide (DEA), which is a 1,3-butadiene derivative containing a diethylamide function, was carried out in tetrahydrofurane (THF) under various conditions. When DEA was polymerized in THF at −78°C using potassium naphthalenide (K-Naph) or diphenylmethylpotassium (DPMK) as an initiator, a polymer of predictable molecular weight with a narrow molecular weight distribution was obtained. However, the rate of polymerization was extremely slow to reach 80% conversion after 720 h. When the polymerization temperature was raised to 20°C, a low molecular weight oligomer with a broad molecular weight distribution was obtained because of a chain transfer reaction. On the other hand, no such side reaction occurred even at 20°C, when polymerization was carried out in the presence of LiCl. Also, the chain transfer reaction did not occur in lithium naphthalenide (Li-Naph) initiated polymerization. The microstructure of the polymer prepared using a potassium counter cation was a 1 : 1 mixture of 1,4-E and 1,2- structures. In the case of Li-Naph or DPMK/LiCl systems, the microstructure was a complicated mixture of 1,4-E, 1,4-Z, and 1,2-structures.