Isobutene polymerization induced by adducts of B(C6F5)3 with carboxylic acids CH3(CH2)nCO2H (n = 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20); chain length effects on this strong acid, carbocationic polymerization initiating system

Adducts of B(C6F5)3 with the series of long chain carboxylic acids CH3(CH2)nCO2H (n = 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20) are assessed for their abilities to initiate the carbocationic polymerization of isobutene. It is found that the adducts behave in MeCl/CH2Cl2 as strong acids with very weakly coordinating counteranions, inducing the rapid formation in high conversions of ultrahigh molecular weight polyisobutene (Mw ∼ 2 × 106 g/mol, Mw/Mn ∼ 1.5) at −50 °C.