Suspension and emulsion aqueous cationic homopolymerization and copolymerization of cyclohexyl vinyl ether by B(C6F5)3 initiating system

Aqueous cationic suspension polymerization and emulsion polymerization of cyclohexyl vinyl ether (CHVE) were successfully achieved by CumOH/B(C6F5)3/Et2O initiating system. The effects of the main initiator concentration, reaction temperature, and surfactant types on the conversion and polymerization rate were investigated. This work broke through the aqueous cationic polymerization of vinyl ether monomer at −15 °C and significantly improved the molecular weight of the polymer. The copolymerization behavior of CHVE with IBVE, n-BVE aqueous suspension polymerization, and emulsion polymerization was investigated. The mechanism of aqueous cationic polymerization of cyclohexyl vinyl ether was proposed.