ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Polymerization of vinyl monomers initiated by the system of N-bromosuccinimide (N-bromocaprolactam) and hydroperoxides

M. Lazár, J. Rychlý, and J. Pavlinec

Polymer Institute, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 809 34 Bratislava

Abstract:  It has been ascertained that N-bromosuccinimide accelerates the polymerization of vinyl monomers initiated by hydroperoxides, the maximum rate of polymerization being at the ratio of about one to two moles of N-bromosuccinimide for one mole of α-cumyl hydroperoxide. The same range of molar ratios for both initiating compounds corresponds also to the maximum rate of decomposition of α-cumyl hydroperoxide. The synergistic effect in the action of both initiators has been explained by the formation of an active and thermally labile initiator in a fast chemical reaction of both components of an initiator system. As a consequence, the species retarding the polymerization originate in subsequent reactions of some by-product with surplus component of the initiator system at the initial concentrations ofα-cumyl hydroperoxide and N-bromosuccinimide above and below the given ratio.

Full paper in Portable Document Format: 303a318.pdf

Chemical Papers 30 (3) 318–327 (1976)