Epoxy polymerization initiated by BF₃–amine complexes. I. Synthesis and characterization of BF₃–amine complexes and BF₃–amine complexes dissolved in γ–butyrolactone

With the aim of identifying the species responsible for initiating epoxy homopolymerization, several BF 3 –amine complexes were synthesized. Their characterization was accomplished by several spectroscopic techniques, notably by 11 B‐NMR. In these polymerizations, the active species appears to be the R–NH BF salt and not the BF 3 –amine complex. The interactions between BF 3 –amine complexes and the γ–butyrolactone were also studied by FTIR.