Synthesis 2005(9): 1479-1490  
DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-865320
PAPER
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Stereospecific Radical Polymerization of Substituted Benzyl Muconates in the Solid State Under Topochemical Control

Akikazu Matsumoto*a, Toshihiro Tanakaa,c, Kunio Okab
a Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka City University, Sugimoto, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka 558-8585, Japan
Fax: +81(6)66052981; e-Mail: matsumoto@a-chem.eng.osaka-cu.ac.jp;
b Research Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, Osaka Prefecture University, Gakuencho 1-2, Sakai, Osaka 599-8570, Japan
c Chemical Resources Laboratory, Tokyo Institute of Technology, R1-5, 4259, Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama, 226-8503, Japan
Further Information

Publication History

Received 15 February 2005
Publication Date:
18 April 2005 (online)

Abstract

We have successfully controlled the stereochemical structure of diene polymers during radical polymerization in the solid state under UV and γ-ray radiation. The polymerization of the substituted benzyl muconates occurred via a crystal lattice controlled reaction mechanism. The polymerization is controlled by not only diisotactic and disyndiotactic, but also meso and racemo structures to afford various kinds of stereoregular polymers.