PREPARATION, CHARACTERIZATION AND THERMAL-DEGRADATION OF POLY P-(2,4-DICHLOROBENZYL)STYRENE

Polystyrene has been alkylated by reaction with 2,4-dichlorobenzyl chl oride in dichloromethane at -5 degrees C in presence of anhydrous alum inium chloride. The alkylated polystyrene has been characterized by IR and NMR spectroscopy. The chlorine content (26.7 wt%) shows that 97% of the styrene units have been alkylated. While the solubility paramet er and density of the alkylated polymer are similar to those of polyst yrenes, its glass transition temperature (83 degrees C), measured by D SC, is much lower than that of PS. The volatile products of thermal de gradation of the alkylated polystyrene have been identified by gas chr omatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. 2,4-Dichlorobenz yl styrene has been observed among the oily products of degradation. T hermogravimetric studies show that the thermal stability of the alkyla ted PS is somewhat higher than that of PS.