Hydroxyl-functionalized polymers using initiator solubility

An example of a functional organolithium initiator is p-lithiophenoxide. It acts both as a carrier of hydroxyl functionality and as an initiator for polymerization (122). Unfortunately, p-lithiophenoxide has a low solubility, even in such polar solvents as THF, and up to 30% of the initiator is initially inactive toward polymerization. It is difficult to control polymer molecular weights when such initiators are used (123). Trepka (124) improved the solubility of p-lilhiophenoxide by the introduction of alkyl... 

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