The formation of an addition
oligomer, having uniform end
groups
X'
...
X''
, by a
chain reaction in
which a
chain transfer limits the length of the
polymer ('
telomer') produced. An example is the
polymerization of
styrene in bromotrichloromethane solution
(
X'
=
CCl3,
X''
=
Br),
where
Cl3C.
radicals are formed in the
initiation step to
produce
Cl3C[CH2CHPh]nBr,
with
greater than 1 and often less than
ca. 10:
Source:
PAC, 1994, 66, 1077
(Glossary of terms used in physical organic chemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 1994))
on page 1173
