Introduction to living polymeriz. Living and/or controlled polymerization

The effects of various imperfections such as slow initiation, termination, transfer and slow exchange on kinetics, molecular weights and polydispersities in chain growth polymerizations are simulated. The simukations demonstrate that well defined polymers polymers can be prepared in systems with chain‐breaking reactions. Thus, under carefully selected conditions, non‐living polyumerizations may provide controlled polymers. On the other hand, polymers with unpredictable molecular weights and broad and even polymodal molecular weight distributions can be formed in living systems without irreversible transfer and termination. In some living systems molecular weights may stay constant or even decrease with conversion. Therefore, a clear distrinction should be made between living and polymerizations.