Solution Polymerization of Vinyl Acetate with Redox Initiator at Low Temperatures

II. Polymerization with t-Butyl Perbenzoate-l-Ascorbic Acid System

Abstract

Solution polymerization of vinyl acetate in methanol was studied in the temperature range of 30 to=-20°C with t-butyl perbenzoate-l-ascorbic acid. The optimum mole ratio of t-butyl perbenzoate for l-ascorbic acid was 4/1. The average apparent activation energy for polymerization was about 10.0 kcal/mole. This redox system was very effective for the polymerization in the existence of methanol. It was found that the rate of polymerization is proportional to the square root of the concentration of t-butyl perbenzoate and the polymerization was also promoted by ethanol or methanol containing water. Methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, styrene and acrylonitrile could be polymerized with this redox initiator in methanol, but2-methyl-5-vinyl pyridine could not be polymerized in methanol except in bulk.