Isotactic‐specific radical polymerization of methacrylamides in the presence of Lewis acids

The radical polymerization of N-methylmethacrylamide (MMAM) and N-isopropylmethacrylamide (IPMAM) was carried out in the presence of various Lewis acids. The isotacticity (mm) of the polymers obtained from the polymerization of MMAM and IPMAM in the presence of Yb(OTf)3 reached 59 and 67%, respectively, although the radical polymerization in the absence of Lewis acids gave syndiotactic polymers. The phase-transition temperature of poly(N-isopropyl- methacrylamide) depended on the tacticity.