Lewis Acid-Induced N-Methyleneamines as Initiators in the Synthesis of Secondary Amine-Terminated Polymers

The cationic polymerization of poly(tert‐butyl vinyl ether) using N‐methyleneamine equivalents derived from a Lewis acid/1,3,5‐trimethylhexahydro‐1,3,5‐triazine (TMTA) co‐initiating system is reported. The resulting polymers possessed secondary amine functionality at the chain terminus, verified by derivatization with 4‐chloro‐7‐nitrobenzo‐2‐oxa‐1,3‐diazole (NBD‐Cl) and subsequent analysis with GPC‐UV (470 nm) and 1H NMR. Use of N‐methyleneamine equivalents lacking aryl substituents to afford amine‐terminated poly(tert‐butyl vinyl ether).