Free radical solution oligomerization of styrene in a continuous‐stirred tank reactor train

For free radical oligomerization of styrene, a scheme for calculating the molecular weight distribution and conversion in a continuous‐stirred tank reactor (CSTR) train is developed, which also allows the calculation of molecular weight distribution (MWD) for batch reaction. Calculations show that under conventional or near dead‐end condition: (1) increasing initial initiator concentration, reaction time and reaction temperature, and decreasing initial monomer concentration cause P̄ n and P̄ w to decrease and MWD to narrow; (2) increasing initial initiator concentration, reaction time and reaction temperature, and increasing monomer concentration cause monomer conversion to increase; (3) a single CSTR gives a lower rate of oligomer production, but a narrower MWD than does a batch reactor.