Electron impact studies. CXVIII. An ion cyclotron resonance study of the reactivity of negative ions derived from ethenetetracarbonitrile. Anionic polymerization in the gas phase

Abstract

.The [M^·–l CN^·I^- species from ethenetetracarbonitrile (tetracyanoethylene) reacts with neutral ethene- tetracarbonitrile to give the stable adduct C₁₁N₇^-. The decomposing form of this adduct eliminates C₂N₂ to produce C,₉N₅^- which may react with ethenetetracarbonitrile to yield C₁₅N,₉^-. Analogous anionic polymerization reactions yield a number of detectable peaks in the i.c.r. spectrum of tetra- cyanoethylene, with the structures of the ions possibly corresponding to a.

Diagram

Polymerization of this type can also be initiated by other nucleophiles including Cl^-, Br^-, I^- and CF₃CO₂^-.