Polymerization of Cyclic Ethers

In the present series of studies on the cationic polymerization of cyclic ethers, the reactivities of cyclic ethers were quantified and the effect of the catalyst upon the polymerization kinetics was revealed. These kinetic analyses were successfully performed by means of our “phenoxyl end-capping method”. The change of the reactivity by the ring size of the monomer was interestingly demonstrated. In addition, it is emphasized that the frequency factor as well as the activation energy influence the rate constant of propagation. As to the effect of catalyst upon the polymerization kinetics, the most important conclusion is that the rate constant of propagation changes very little according to the changes of the catalyst components. Variation of the conversion rate by a change of catalyst is due to differences in the rates of the initiation and the termination reactions.