The reactions of chelating diboranes with PhCMe2Cl and related initiators were studied by variable-temperature NMR spectroscopy. Although thermally stable ion-pairs featuring weakly coodinating anions(WCA) are formed, isobutene polymerization is complicated by the tendency of these WCA to act ashindered bases toward Brønsted acidic chain ends.
The reactions of chelating diboranes with PhCMe2Cl and related initiators were studied by variable-temperature NMR spectroscopy. Although thermally stable ion-pairs featuring weakly coordinating anions (WCA) are formed, isobutene polymerization is complicated by the tendency of these WCA to act as hindered bases toward Brønsted acidic chain ends.
