Question

Order the following monomers concerning their expected reactivity toward anionic polymerization, and explain your answer:

H₂C = CHCH₃, H₂C = CHC $\equiv$N, H₂C = CH-C₆H₅

Short answer

Reactivity order follows as:

Step-by-step solution

Anionic polymerisation

Anionic polymerization is initiated by the active anionic species that comprises the polymerization of the vinyl monomer with the electron negative species

Reactivity of alkene

The alkene which is most reactive towards the anionic polymerization are those having substituent as an electron-withdrawing group and making the polymerization fast and the least reactive alkene are those having an alkyl group as a substituent because they are electron-donating species as shown below: