SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NEW SILICON-CONTAINING FLUOROACRYLATE MONOMERS AND POLYMERS .3.

A series of new silicon-containing fluoroacrylate polymers and copolym ers (with methyl acrylate) has been prepared, starting from 1,3-bis(he xafluoro-2-hydroxy-2-propyl)ben (1,3-HFAB). The fluorinated, silicon-c ontaining alcohol precursor was synthesized in two steps by reacting 1 ,3-HFAB first with n-butyl lithium and subsequently with dichlorodimet hylsilane. The silicon-containing alcohol was finally reacted with acr yloyl or methacryloyl chloride to give the corresponding monomers. Pol ymers were obtained by bulk free radical polymerization using alpha,al pha'-azobisisobutyronitrile as initiator. The polymers, which have inh erent viscosities ranging from 0.20 to 0.33 dl g(-1), form brittle hyd rophobic films by solution casting. The polyacrylates are stable to ab out 375 degrees C (10% weight loss) in nitrogen and exhibit glass tran sition from 67 to 110 degrees C. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.