Polymerization of Pendant Vinyl Groups of Poly [p-(acryloyloxymethyl)styrene]

Abstract

The poly[p- (acryloyloxymethyl)styrene] was prepared by two processes; (a) the reaction of poly (p-methylolstyrene) with acrylic chloride, and (b) the cationic polymerization of p(acryloyloxymethyl) styrene catalyzed by BF3Et20.
The polymer having pendant vinyl groups was radically polymerized with azobisisobutyronitrile in tetrahydrofuran (THF), benzene or chlorobenzene giving polymer soluble in THF or chlorobenzene. The concentration for the formation of the soluble polymer after postpolymerization is less than 200 g//.
The intrinsic viscosity of the polymer after post-polymerization, whose concentration in THF or chlorobenzene is less than 8.3 is the same as that of the corresponding polymer before post-polymerization, but slightly increases in benzene, whose concentration is 8.3 g//. The number average molecular weight of the polymer after post-polymerization of poly[p(acryloyloxymethyl) styrene] (Mn=11800) by (a) process is 11400. The number average molecular weight of methyl acrylate oligomer which was separated from polymer is 500.
It was suggested that at low concentration after post-polymerization not only reaction between neighboring vinyl groups but also intra-molecular crosslinking occur.