The acid-catalyzed dimerization of both styrene and a-methylstyrene has been known for many Recent kinetic data indicate that the course of the styrene dimerization follows the scheme shown in Fig. 1.6 Essentially, the reaction proceeds via the protonation of styrene monomer to form the styrylcarbonium ion IIa which adds a molecule of monomer to yield the dimer carbonium ioii IIIa. The latter can (1) add additional monomer units to form polymer,( ...