Explaining the mechanism of chain transfer in styrene polymerization

What is it about?

This theoretical paper describes the most likely way in which transfer of radical activity from a growing chain to another monomer unit will occur, in the polymerization of styrene.

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Why is it important?

Chain transfer to monomer is often considered one of the most dominant chain stopping mechanisms in free radical polymerization kinetics. However, in the case of styrene, it is not immediately obvious how chain transfer takes place. What atom is abstracted in the transfer process? This paper models this process from a theoretical perspective, and the most likely reaction pathway is described on the basis of kinetics and thermodynamics.