Initiation system for the anionic polymerisation of (meth)acrylic monomers

A process for the polymerization of acrylic or methacrylic monomers comprising polymerizing said monomers in the presence of a polymerization initiating amount of an initiation system including (1) at least one functional initiator and (2) an alkali metal alcoholate, wherein said alcoholate has the formula:

• R'OM'
• in which M' is an alkali metal and R' has the formula:
• R.sup.1 (OR.sup.2).sub.m
• in which R.sup.1 is a linear or branched alkyl radical containing from 1 to 6 carbon atoms or an arylalkyl radical, R.sup.2 is a linear or branched alkylene radical containing from 2 to 4 carbon atoms, and m is the integer 1, 2 or 3, to obtain a polymer having a percentage of syndiotactic triads higher than or equal to 80%.

A process for the polymerization of acrylic, methacrylic, or nonacrylic vinyl monomers comprising polymerizing said monomers in the presence of a polymerization initiating amount of an initiation system including (1) at least one functional initiator and (2) an alkali metal alcoholate, wherein said alcoholate has the formula:

• R'OM'
• in which M' is an alkali metal and R' has the formula:
• R.sup.1 (OR.sup.2)m
• in which R.sup.1 is a linear or branched alkyl radical containing from 1 to 6 carbon atoms or an arylalkyl radical, R.sup.2 is a linear or branched alkylene radical containing from 2 to 4 carbon atoms, and m is the integer 1, 2 or 3, to obtain a star-shaped block copolymer.