SYNTHESIS AND PROPERTIES OF COOLIGOMERS O F BENZOQUINONE WITH VINYLPYRIDINE

Thermal and catalytic copolymerization of p-benzoquinone with vinylpyr idine was studied in bulk and in solution. It was shown that copolymer ization is accompanied by formation of hydroquinone and quinone homopo lymer, the amount of which depends on the reaction conditions. The for ming copolymers have (M) over bar(w) = 610 - 1800 and (M) over bar(n) = 330 - 1400 and contain hydroquinone and vinylpyridine units regardle ss of the mode of initiation. The major properties of copolymers and t he kinetic regularities of their oxidation by oxygen in alkaline mediu m were studied. It was shown that the anions of hydroquinone units of the copolymer are oxidized and, at constant oxygen pressure, the proce ss is described by a first-order kinetic equation (k = 1.3 x 10(-3) - 2.1 x 10(-3) s(-1) and E = = 21.0 kJ/mol at 298 - 313 K).