Active centers of anionic polymerization for ε-caprolactam initiated by magnesium lactamates and some peculiarities of the polymerization process

Kinetics of anionic polymerization of e-caprolactam in presence of magnesium dilactamate were studied. It was demonstrated that active centers of the process involved contact ion pairs. An equation describing kinetics of polymerization up to 60-70% conversion was proposed. Kinetic constants and activation parameters of the equation were determined. A hypothesis explaining the high catalytic activity of lactamate magnesium halides as well as magnesium halides and magnesium dilactamate mixtures in anionic polymerization of lactams was proposed