POLYMERIZATION OF N-SUBSTITUTED 4-AMINOSTYRENE. Part IV:^# THE POLYMERIZATION MECHANISM OF N-ALKYL AND N-BENZYL 4-AMINOSTYRENE SALTS.

Yassin Gabr*

Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Education, Ain-Shams University, Roxy, Cairo 11711, Egypt. E-mail: yasingabr@hotmail.com

*Present address: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Sana’a University, Sana’a, P.O.Box 13838, Yemen

Abstract

The mechanism of the spontaneous polymerization of N-alkyl and N-benzyl 4-aminostyrene salts in different solvents has been investigated. Results indicate that initiation step is caused by nucleophilic attack of unalkylated 4-aminostyrene molecules on the double bond of styryl group leading to formation of a Zwitterion. However, the contribution of the halide ion (X) in the initiation step is insignificant.