AbstractThe polymerization of maleic anhydride initiated by triphenylphosphine was investigated in acetic anhydride as well as in dimethylformamide. It was found that the polymer conversion increases with the increase of the concentration of monomer and initiator and the reaction temperature. It was also found that the rate of polymerization is higher in dimethylformamide than in acetic anhydride under the same set of experimental conditions. The apparent overall activation energy was found to be about 26,4kJ · mol‐1and 39,8 kJ · mol‐1in acetic anhydride and dimethylformamide, respectively. The polymerization rate depends upon the basicity of the initiator as well as on the dielectric constant of the so