POLYMERIZATION OF PHENYLGLYCIDYLETHER DERIVATIVES WITH FUNCTIONAL ESTER GROUPS

A series of methyl <(omega)over bar>[p-(2,3-epoxypropoxy)phenyl] alkan oate esters of different lengths is prepared using a multistep synthet ic method. These compounds which have 0, 1, 2, 5, 8 and 11 methylene g roups are homopolymerized and copolymerized with non-functionalized ph enylglycidyiether (PGE) using the ionic coordinative initiator describ ed by Teyssie. Other ionic-coordinative initiators were found to be le ss effective. All homo- and copolymers are characterized by NMR spectr oscopy and their tacticity is determined. Their thermal characteristic s were also studied by DSC.