Abstract: The present invention to a method of synthesizing poly(vinyl halide) by means of a free radical polymerization which mimics a "living" radical polymerization in the presence of an iodine containing chain transfer agent containing at least one iodine atom bonded to a primary carbon atom and having the formula:R--CH.sub.2 I (I)R--CHX I (II),R--CH(X)--CH.sub.2 I (III),R--CH(X)--CHX I (IV), orR--CH(X)--CH.sub.2 --CHX I (V),wherein X is fluorine, chlorine, bromine, or iodine, R is hydrogen, C.sub.1, C.sub.2, C.sub.3, C.sub.4, C.sub.5 alkyl, any of which are linear or branched, cyanoalkyl, cyclohexyl, methyl cyclohexyl, phenyl, benzyl, and halogenated or oxygenated derivatives thereof.In accordance with the invention there is further provided a method of synthesizing 1-halo-1-iodoethane by reacting hydrogen iodide with vinyl chloride or vinyl fluoride in the presence of an iodine generating catalyst under certain specified conditions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of synthesizing 1-chloro-1-iodoethane by reacting hydrogen iodide with vinyl chloride monomer in the presence of an iodine containing catalyst under certain specified conditions. The resulting product of the reaction is a high yield, high purity 1-chloro-1-iodoethane which is useful as a chain transfer agent in the polymerization of vinyl chloride monomer. The 1-chloro-1-iodoethane formed by the instant invention can be made separately in a conventional synthesis apparatus or the compound can be synthesized in situ in the reaction vessel used for polymerization of vinyl chloride.