Living polymers and process for their preparation

Process of polymerizing the monomer selected from the group consisting of ##STR25## and mixtures thereof wherein:

• X is --CN, --CH.dbd.CHC(O)X' or --C(O)X';
• Y is --H, --CH.sub.3, --CN or --CO.sub.2 R, provided, however, when X is CH.dbd.CHC(O)X', Y is --H or --CH.sub.3 ;
• X' is --OSi(R.sup.1).sub.3, --R, --OR or --NR'R";
• each R.sup.1 is independently selected from C.sub.1-10 alkyl and C.sub.6-10 aryl or alkaryl;
• R is C.sub.1-20 alkyl, alkenyl, or alkadienyl;
• C.sub.6-20 cycloalkyl, aryl, alkaryl or aralkyl;
• any of said groups containing one or more ether oxygen atoms within aliphatic segments thereof;
• and any of all the aforesaid groups containing one or more functional substituents that are unreactive under polymerizing conditions;
• and
• each of R' and R" is independently selected from C.sub.1-4 alkyl
• by contacting the one or more monomers under polymerizing conditions with:
• (i) the initiator of the formula (R.sup.1).sub.3 MZ wherein:
• R.sup.1 is as defined above;
• Z is an activating substituent selected from the group consisting of ##STR26## and mixtures thereof wherein:
• X' is as defined above;
• each of R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is independently selected from H;
• C.sub.1-10 alkyl and alkenyl;
• C.sub.6-10 aryl, alkaryl, and aralkyl;
• any of said groups except H containing one or more ether oxygen atoms within aliphatic segments thereof;
• and any of all the aforesaid groups except H containing one or more functional substituents that are unreactive under polymerizing conditions;
• and
• Z' is O or N;
• m is 2, 3 or 4;
• n is 3, 4 or 5;
• and
• M is Si, Sn, or Ge, provided, however, when Z is ##STR27## M is Sn or Ge;
• and (ii) a co-catalyst which is a source of fluoride, cyanide or azide ions or a suitable Lewis acid, to produce "living" polymer having repeat units of the one or more monomers.