Radical oligomerization of (2-isobutyl-2-methyl-1, 3-dioxolane-4-yl) methyl acrylate and (2-ethyl-1, 3-dioxolane-4-yl) butyl acrylate were carried out by using several kinds of chain transfer agents such as 2-mercaptoethanol, thioglicolic acid, lauryl mercaptan, benzaldehyde, butyraldehyde, iodoacetic acid, carbon tetrachloride, bromoform and carbon tetrabromide. The reactivity and the mechanism in the crosslinking of resultant oligomers with UV or heat treatments were investigated.
The oligomers prepared by using halogen-containing chain transfer agents were easily crosslinked by UV irradiation or thermal treatments, but the others were of no reaction. The oligomers having halogen residue at the end of the polymer chain easily released the corresponding halogen acid on UV irradiation, indicating that the crosslinking was caused by acceleration of the C-O bond cleavage of the 1, 3-dioxolane ring by the acid.
View full abstract