Head-to-Head Polymers. XXVIII. Attempted Syntheses of Linear Head-to-Head Polyisobutylene

2,2,3,3-Tetramethyl-1,4-dibromobutane, when used as monomer for polymerization by Wurtz-type polycondensation, gave head-to-head polyisobutylene which is branched. Under similar conditions, 2, 5-dimethyl-2, 5-dibromohexane gave no polymer. Copolymerization of ethylene with tetramethylethylene under various conditions gave polyethylene of modest molecular weight with about 5% tetramethylene units in the polymer. 1,1,4, 4-Tetramethyl-1,3-butadiene (2,5-dimethylhexadiene-2,4) polymerized with BF3 initiator to high molecular weight trans- 1,4-poly-(1,1,4,4-tetrarnethylbutadiene-1,3). The polymer could not be hydrogenated with soluble hydrogenation catalysts and only partially by chemical reduction with diimide. Under forcing conditions, incorporation of portions of the decomposition products of the precursor of the diimide was observed.