Preparation of Multifunctional Anionic Initiators Through Reactions Between n‐Butyl Lithium and Divinylbenzene

Abstract

The main goals of the present work are the production of bifunctional initiators through reactions between n‐butyl lithium (n‐BuLi) and divinylbenzene (DVB) and evaluation of the initiator performance in styrene polymerizations. Bifunctional initiators are desired for production of elastomers because they can be used to produce telechelic polymers. Initiators were prepared in solution in presence of the polar modifier 2,2‐ditetrahydrofurylpropane (DTHFP), used for solvation of the lithium cation and increase of the ion solubility in aliphatic hydrocarbons. It is shown that useful multifunctional initiators can be produced at the analyzed conditions, as indicated by the high average molar masses of the final product.