POLYMER NETWORKS BASED ON ALPHA,OMEGA-METHACRYLATE-TERMINATED POLY(1,3-DIOXOLANE)

alpha,omega-Methacrylate-terminated poly(1,3-dioxolane)s (polyDXL) wer e synthesized by cationic ring-opening polymerization of DXL in the pr esence of methylene-bis(oxyethylmethacrylate) as transfer agent. If th e initiator concentration is small compared with the transfer agent co ncentration, the molecular weights of the polymers are governed by the ratio of the reacted monomer to the reacted transfer agent. The alpha ,omega-methacrylate-terminated polyDXLs obtained undergo free radical polymerization with formation of polyacetal networks. The properties o f the networks as a function of the molecular weight of the correspond ing prepolymers are reported.