Polymerization with diborane adducts or oligomers of boron-containing monomers

Claim 1

A process for the polymerization of polymerizable α,β-ethylenically unsaturated monomers which comprises polymerizing said monomers in a reaction mixture containing catalytic amounts of (A) an oxygen source and (B) an organic boron compound which is soluble in the reaction mixture, said boron compound selected from (1) diborane adducts wherein the boron atoms are linked by a hydrocarbyl group having an aliphatic carbon atom bonded to at least one of the boron atoms, and (2) oligomers based on repeating units containing at least two boron atoms linked by hydrocarbyl groups having an aliphatic carbon atom bonded to at least one of the boron atoms, said diborane adducts having the formula: ##STR7## where x is 0 to 6 and m and n are each 0 or 1, provided that the sum of x, m and n is at least 1, and where R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 independently are hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl, and where R 1 together with R 2 and the boron atom to which R 1 and R 2 are attached may form a ring containing 2 to 14 carbon atoms, such boron atom being a member of the ring or bridging the ring; and said repeating units of said oligomers having the formula: ##STR8## where y and z are each 0 to 5 and p is 0 or 1 provided that the sum of y, z and p is at least 1; where R 5 and R 6 independently are hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl, and where terminal carbon atoms of one unit are attached to separate boron atoms in adjacent units, and the terminal boron atom of one unit being joined to separate terminal carbon atoms of adjacent units.