Electrolytically initiated polymerization of N‐vinylcarbazole

Polymerization of N‐vinylcarbazole was studied systematically using electroinitiation with several quaternary ammonium salts as electrolytes in methylene chloride solution. Polymer was obtained only when the following electrolytes were used: tetraethylammonium perchlorate, tetrabutylammonium perchlorate, and tetrabutylammonium fluoroborate. Polymeric products of molecular weight 104–105 were formed in the anodic compartment of a divided cell. IR and 13C‐NMR spectra showed that the structures of the polymers were similar to those produced by conventional cationic polymerization, which suggests a similar mechanism for the resulting anodic product.