A MECHANISTIC STUDY ON THE POLYMERIZATION OF N-BUTYL ISOCYANATE BY PRUITT-BAGGETT ADDUCT

The mechanism of the polymerization of n-butyl isocyanate by the Pruitt-Baggett adduct (PBA) was studied; on the basis of the experimental evidences, a coordinated mechanism was proposed and verified. This mechanism considers a monatomic active site, which is the Fe atom of PBA with Lewis acid character. The N atom of the isocyanate monomer is coordinated by the Fe atom and the resultant positive charge is transmitted to another N atom which covalently binds the growing chain to the active centre. Thus the formed ammonium ion is added to the incoming monomer yielding Nylon-1 structure and the active site is regenerated