SYNTHESIS OF REACTIVE OXAZOLYL STYRENE-ACRYLONITRILE COPOLYMERS

A series of oxazoline-modified styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) copolymers was prepared through the reaction of amino alcohols onto preformed SAN copolymers. Consequently, a variety of reactive copolymers were synth esized. The major focus of this study was to examine the influence of reaction conditions, i.e., the nature of the catalyst and amino alcoho l structure, on reactivity. The ability to incorporate oxazoline group s onto preformed polymers is dependent on whether homogeneous reaction conditions are met. For example, the use of nonreactive solubilizing agents, i.e., cosolvent, is effective. However, optimum conditions are obtained when the catalyst is completely soluble in the reaction mixt ure containing the amino alcohol and SAN copolymer. With these restric tions, zinc stearate is quite effective. Our results show that control led and reproducible levels of oxazoline can be incorporated (typicall y at a rate of 2 mol %/h) up to high levels. These results are general and therefore are applicable to a wide variety of nitrile-containing polymers. (C) 1995 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.