Alcohol catalysts chain transfer catalyzed

Reversible Chain Transfer Catalyzed Polymerization (RTCP) with Alcohol Catalysts... 

Alcohols (phenols, a vinyl alcohol, and an iodide derivative) worked as efficient catalysts for reversible chain transfer catalyzed polymerization (RTCP). Low-polydispersity (MJMn 1.2-1.3) polystyrenes and poly(methyl methaciylate)s with predicted molecular weights were obtained with a fairly high conversion. Attractive features of the alcohol catalysts include their high reactivity (a small amount being required), low or no toxicity, and low cost (cheapness). 

These aerobic oxidations can be rationalized by assuming the sequence shown in Scheme 7.5. The metal-catalyzed radical chain reaction of an aldehyde with molecular oxygen affords the corresponding peracid. The reaction of metal catalyst with the peracid thus formed would give an oxo-metal intermediate, followed by oxygen atom transfer to afford the corresponding alcohols. The alcohol is further oxidized to the corresponding ketone under these conditions. 

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