Epichlorohydrin cationic polymerization mechanism initiation

Several dyes have been found to sensitize the cationic polymerization of cyclohexene oxide, epichlorohydrin, and 2-chloroethyl vinyl ether initiated by diaryliodonium salts (109,110). Acridinium dyes such as acridine orange and acridine yellow were found to be effective sensitizers. One example of a benzothiazolium dye (setoflavin T) was also reported, but no other class of dye nor any other example of a dye absorbing at longer wavelengths were discovered. Crivello and Lam favored a sensitization mechanism in which direct energy transfer from the dye to the diaryliodonium salt occurred. Pappas (12,106) provided evidence that both energy transfer and electron transfer sensitization were feasible in this system. 

Okamoto [92] has studied the cationic polymerization of epichlorohydrin in the presence of ethylene glycol, using as initiator triethyloxonium hexafluoro-phosphate, and proposed a propagation mechanism similar to living polymerization. 

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