Synthesis of virtually monodisperse linear and tetrachain polymers with „idealized” structures by use of a novel initiator, α‐phenylethylpotassium

A virtually monodisperse polystyrene (M̄w/M̄n = 1.06) was prepared by use of a novel initiator, α‐phenylethylpotassium. The chain structure of this polystyrene when terminated with a proton contained no foreign functional end‐groups, except hydrogen atoms at both ends. magnified image The chain structure was, therefore, “ideal” since the initiating groups was actually one segment of the repeating sequence. A virtually monodisperse polystyrene tetrafunctional star molecule (M̄w/M̄n = 1.05) also was made by coupling of the polystyrylpotassium with 1,2,4,5‐tetrachloromethylbenzene. This reaction proceeded smoothly to completion as evidence by stoichiometry, ultracentrifuge, and fractionation data.