ASYMMETRIC AND ENANTIOMER-SELECTIVE POLYMERIZATION OF PHENYL-2-PYRIDYL-ORTHO-TOLYLMETHYL METHACRYLATE

The enantiomer-selective (asymmetric selective or stereoelective) polymerization of a bulky racemic monomer phenyl-2-pyridyl-o-tolylmethyl methacrylate (PPyTMA) was investigated with chiral anionic initiators, the complexes of 2,3-dimethoxy-1,4-bis(dimethylamino)butane (DDB) with fluorenyllithium or N,N prime -diphenylethylenediamine monolithium amide, in toluene at minus 78 degree C. ( minus )-Isomer was consumed preferentially over ( plus ) -isomer when ( minus )-DDB was used as a chiral ligand and a highly isotactic polymer was obtained. The initiators showed no enantiomer selectivity in the polymerization of less bulky racemic methacrylates, such as 1-phenylethy methacrylate and 1,2-diphenylethyl methacrylate which afforded atactic polymers.