P-ACETYL BENZYLIDENE TRIPHENYLARSONIUM YLIDE INITIATED RADICAL TERPOLYMERIZATION OF STYRENE, ACRYLONITRILE AND COPPER ACRYLATE - SYNTHESIS,CHARACTERIZATION AND PROPERTIES

Solution terpolymerization of styrene (Sty), acrylonitrile (AN) and co pper acrylate (CuA) has been carried out in dimethylformamide at 90 de grees C for 4h using p-acetyl benzylidene triphenylarsonium. ylide as radical initiator. H-1 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), IR and elemen tal analysis have been used to characterize the terpolymer. Analysis o f kinetic data indicates the following rate equation R(p) proportional to[ylide](0.5)[Sty][AN]1/[CuA] The overall activation energy is 38 kJ mol(-1). The composition of terpolymer calculated from NMR and elemen tal analysis has been used to evaluate reactivity ratios as r(1)(Sty)= 5+/-2 and r(2)(AN+CuA)=0.4+/0.02 employing the Finemann-Ross method, w hich confirms its random origin. The terpolymer was thermally stable u p to 200 degrees C.