Stereocontrolled radical polymerization of acrylamides and methacrylamides using Lewis acids

The isotactic-specific radical polymerization of various acrylamides and methacrylamides was attained in the presence of a catalytic amount of Lewis acids, such as Y(OTf)3 and Yb(OTf)3, whereas the normal radical process generally affords slightly syndiotactic polymers for acrylamides and syndiotactic ones for methacrylamides.