Cation-pool initiated microsystem

Figure 3. Microsystem for the "cation pool initiated polymerization of...

Nagaki A, Kawamura K, Suga S, Ando T, Sawamoto M, Yoshida J (2004) Cation pool-initiated controlled/living polymerization using microsystems. J Am Chem Soc 126(45) 14702-14703... 

Microsystem-controlled cationic polymerization technology requires extremely reactive initiators and cation pools serve as effective initiators for this technology. Usually carbocations are generated by a reversible process from their precursor. Yoshida et al. developed the cation pool method [35], in which carbocations are generated irreversibly by low-temperature electrolysis and are accumulated in relatively high concentration in the absence of nucleophiles. N-Acyliminium ions, alkoxycarbenium ions [36-40] and diarylcarbenium ions [41] have been generated by this method. Such cation pools are expected to serve as extremely reactive initiators for cationic polymerization. 

---