Zwitterionic monomers free radical polymerizations

The addition of a Lewis acid to a polymerization recipe involving free radical initiators makes possible copolymerizations which would not otherwise occur e.g. Isobutene + methyl acrylate. The copolymerizations may also be unaffected by the addition of inhibitors or transfer reagents. Spontaneous alternating copolymerization may also occur between nucleophilic (Mn) and electrophilic (Mb) monomers through zwitterion intermediates (5) which are capable of propagation (6). 

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