Effect of Zinc Chloride on Copolymerization of Styrene with Alkyl Maleates

Abstract

Styrene copolymerizes with alkyl maleates alternately via a radical mechanism. Addition of zinc chloride accerelated the rate of this radical copolymerization initiated by azobisisobutyronitrile (10^-2 mol/l) as in Table 1.
A possible mechanism in which the one to one complex of styrene and alkyl maleates plays an important role is presented (Fig.2).