Process for making allyl polymers and copolymers

A process for making an allyl polymer or copolymer, said process comprising polymerizing one or more allyl monomers having the structure:

• CH.sub.2 =CR-CH.sub.2 -X
• in which R is hydrogen or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl group, and X is a monovalent radical selected from the group consisting of -OH, -OR', -O-CO-R', -O-CO.sub.2 -R', -(OA).sub.n -OH, -(OA).sub.n -OR', -(OA).sub.n -O-CO-R', and -(OA).sub.n -O-CO.sub.2 -R' in which R' is a C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl or C.sub.6 -C.sub.12 aryl group, OA is a C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 oxyalkylene diradical, and n has a value within the range of about 1 to 5, at a temperature within the range of about 90.degree. C. to about 200.degree. C. in the presence of a free-radical initiator, wherein at least about 75% of the initiator used is gradually added to the reaction mixture during the polymerization, and wherein the conversion of the allyl monomer improves as a result of the gradual addition of the initiator.

A process for making an allyl polymer or copolymer, said process comprising polymerizing one or more allyl monomers selected from the group consisting of allyl alcohol, methallyl alcohol, allyl acetate, allyl butyrate, and propoxylated allyl alcohols, at a temperature within the range of about 135.degree. C. to about 165.degree. C. in the presence of a peroxide initiator selected from the group consisting of di-tert-butylperoxide and tert-butylhydroperoxide, wherein at least about 75% of the initiator used is gradually added to the reaction mixture during the polymerization, and wherein the conversion of the allyl monomer improves as a result of the gradual addition of the initiator.