Unsymmetrically substituted ethane as a new and efficient initiator for the polymerization of methyl methacrylate and styrene

In this paper, we present a compound, 2,3-diphenyl butyronitrile (DPBN), which can be used as a new and efficient radical initiator for the polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and styrene (St). Very different from other compounds as a carbon-carbon initiator, DPBN is an unsymmetrically substituted ethane and works with high initiation reactivity at lower temperatures. This new compound as an initiator exhibits various advantages, such as easy preparation, high initiation reactivity, safe use and storage, and convenient handling.