Isoprene Polymerization by Catalyst Systems of Rhodium Complex and Allyl Alcohol

Abstract

A B S T R A C TTo prepare polyisoprene of controlled microstructure and molecular weight in emulsion systems, a series of polymerizations was carried out with catalyst systems of rhodium complexes and allyl alcohol, with variation of the type of rhodium salts, emulsifiers, and other conditions. A dramatic change in the structure of polyisoprene and also an increase of the polymer yield were brought about by the addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate and allyl alcohol. p-Toluenesulfonic acid and other strong acids exhibited an effect similar to that of the 999 Copyright 0 1977 by Marcel Dekker, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Neither this work nor any part may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any meahs, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, microfilming, and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.