The Gilch polymerisation towards OC1C10-PPV: indications for a radical mechanism

Although p-quinodimethane based polymerisations have been investigated by a number of research groups, the nature of the underlying polymerisation mechanism — radical or anionic — is still under discussion. The effect of different types of additives on the Gilch polymerisation was examined and experimental results of this study are presented in this paper. We can not completely exclude anionic processes, but taken as a whole the results obtained, are a strong indication that the main polymerisation mechanism operating in the Gilch route is of radical nature and yields high molecular weight polymers.