Radical polymerization initiator and method for producing polymers

A method for producing a polymer comprising subjecting a radically polymerizable monomer to radical polymerization in a state in which a radical polymerization initiator is present in a polymerization system,

• wherein the radical polymerization initiator is an organotellurium compound represented by the following formula (1),
• wherein R1 represents a group selected from:
• an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms;
• a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms which is unsubstituted, or substituted with a substituent selected from a halogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an amino group, a nitro group, a cyano group, and —CORa (wherein Ra represents an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 8 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an aryloxy group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, or a haloalkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms);
• an aryl group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms which is unsubstituted, or substituted with a substituent selected from a halogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an amino group, a nitro group, a cyano group, and —CORa (wherein Ra represents an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 8 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an aryloxy group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, or a haloalkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms);
• and
• an aromatic heterocyclic group which is unsubstituted, or substituted with a substituent selected from a halogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an amino group, a nitro group, a cyano group, and —CORa (wherein Ra represents an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 8 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an aryloxy group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, or a haloalkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms),
• each of R2 and R3 independently represents a group selected from:
• a hydrogen atom;
• an aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms;
• an aryl group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms which is unsubstituted, or substituted with a substituent selected from a halogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an amino group, a nitro group, a cyano group, and —CORa (wherein Ra represents an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 8 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an aryloxy group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, or a haloalkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms);
• an aromatic heterocyclic group which is unsubstituted, or substituted with a substituent selected from a halogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an amino group, a nitro group, a cyano group, and —CORa (wherein Ra represents an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 8 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an aryloxy group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms or a haloalkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms);
• a halogen atom;
• a carboxyl group;
• a hydrocarbyl oxycarbonyl group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms;
• a cyano group;
• and
• an amide group, and each of R4, R5 and R6 independently represents a group selected from:
• a hydrogen atom;
• an aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms;
• an aryl group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms which is unsubstituted, or substituted with a substituent selected from a halogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an amino group, a nitro group, a cyano group, and —CORa (wherein Ra represents an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 8 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an aryloxy group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, or a haloalkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms);
• an aromatic heterocyclic group which is unsubstituted, or substituted with a substituent selected from a halogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an amino group, a nitro group, a cyano group, and —CORa (wherein Ra represents an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 8 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an aryloxy group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, or a haloalkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms);
• a halogen atom;
• a carboxyl group;
• a hydrocarbyl oxycarbonyl group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms;
• a cyano group;
• and
• an amide group, and
• a group represented by the following formula (2),
• wherein 2 groups selected from R2 to R6 may bond together to form a ring other than an aromatic ring,
• wherein R7 represents a group selected from:
• an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms;
• a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms which is unsubstituted, or substituted with a substituent selected from a halogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an amino group, a nitro group, a cyano group, and —CORa (wherein Ra represents an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 8 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an aryloxy group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, or a haloalkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms);
• an aryl group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms which is unsubstituted, or substituted with a substituent selected from a halogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an amino group, a nitro group, a cyano group, and —CORa (wherein Ra represents an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 8 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an aryloxy group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, or a haloalkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms);
• and
• an aromatic heterocyclic group which is unsubstituted, or substituted with a substituent selected from a halogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an amino group, a nitro group, a cyano group, and —CORa (wherein Ra represents an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 8 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an aryloxy group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, or a haloalkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms),
• and each of R8 and R9 independently represents a group selected from:
• a hydrogen atom;
• an aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms;
• an aryl group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms which is unsubstituted, or substituted with a substituent selected from a halogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an amino group, a nitro group, a cyano group, and —CORa (wherein Ra represents an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 8 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an aryloxy group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, or a haloalkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms);
• an aromatic heterocyclic group which is unsubstituted, or substituted with a substituent selected from a halogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an amino group, a nitro group, a cyano group, and —CORa (wherein Ra represents an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 8 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an aryloxy group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, or a haloalkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms);
• a halogen atom;
• a carboxyl group;
• a hydrocarbyl oxycarbonyl group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms;
• a cyano group;
• and
• an amide group,
• wherein the wavy line represents a bond with the carbon atoms constituting the double bond in formula (1),
• wherein one of the terminal of the polymer produced is a group represented by (R5)(R6)C═C(R4)—C(R2)(R3)- that is derived from the organotellurium compound.