MACROAZOINITIATORS BASED ON POLY(METHYL METHACRYLATE)

A series of bi- and trifunctional initiators were tested in the initia tion of methyl methacrylate (MMA) polymerization by dilatometry; in th e first stage, ''active'' prepolymers with azo and peroxy groups were obtained. In an effort to elucidate some aspects of the decomposition mechanism, an ''active'' PMMA synthesized with phenylazoformamidoethyl 4-t-butylazo-4-cyanopentanoate was investigated by pyrolitic mass spe ctroscopy. Finally, these macroazoinitiators were applied in the synth esis of some block copolymers with isoprene.