The nature and reactivity of the reactive centres] present in the system butadiene-n-butyl lithium-tetramethylethylenediamine-hydrocarbon medium

The polymerization kinetics of butadiene and the microstructure of the produced polymer were studied under the influence of system n-butyl lithium (BuLi)-tetramethylethylenediamine (TMED)-petroleum ether. The IR and UV spectra of the BuLi and lithium oligobutadienyl (LOB) complexes with TMED were examined and the results, together with the viscometric measurements carried out on the solutions of the “live” lithium polybutadienyl in the presence of TMED, and on the inactivated product, made it possible to get some idea about the nature and the reactivities of the centres of reactivity forming in the system, and also about the causes of microstructural changes in the polymer.