Molecular weight distribution in anionic polymerization involving a chain transfer to monomer

Polymerization involving a chain transfer to monomer but not involving a termination step was discussed. Such a polymerization produces a mixture of dead and living polymeric molecules, and the resulting molecular weight distribution was calculated both for polymers initiated on one end and those initiated on both ends. The results permit calculation of number and weight average degree of polymerization. Application of these results to polymerization of isoprene permits the approximate evaluation of the chain transfer to monomer constant for anionic polymerization of isoprene and estimation of the parameter α in the relation [η] = K · [DPn]α.