The Electronic Spectra of Some Anionic Polymerization Systems

The ultraviolet absorption spectra of living anionic polymerizing systems have been measured with sytrene, butadiene, and isoprene as the monomers; with lithium, sodium, and potassium as the alkali metals; and with tetrahydrofuran, cyclohexane, and benzene as the solvents. For any monomer the similarity of the spectra obtained with the various metals and solvents leads to the conclusion that the alkali metal – carbon band has the same structure under the various conditions. From other evidence the bond is considered to be ionic in all cases. The diene monomer anions in tetrahydrofuran solution were found to undergo a series of isomerizations, some of them comparable in speed to the consumption of monomer.