Acid strength of proton donors in complexes of nontransition metal halides as a measure of the activity of electrophilic polymerisation catalysts

Data on one of the most urgent problems in modern theoretical chemistry are reviewed: the calculation of the acid strength of the complexes formed by the interaction of Lewis acids with proton donors, and the correlation of the acid strength with the activity and selectivity of these complexes as catalysts of electrophilic processes. Complexes based on aluminium and magnesium chlorides and on boron fluorides are discussed. It is shown that increasing the acid strength of these complexes as catalysts of electrophilic polymerisation reactions increases their activity but lowers their selectivity. The bibliography includes 43 references.