POLY(METHYL METACRYLATE) MACROAZOINITIATOR - SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION AND ITS BEHAVIOR IN BLOCK COPOLYMERIZATION

Methylmetacrylate (MMA) has been polymerized in the presence of a tris azoic initiator N,N'-bis [(4-t-butylazo-4-cyanopentanoyl) oxiethyl]azo -bis-formamide by selective radicalic decomposition of the two lateral azodialkyl groups. the active prepolymer which preserves the initiato r central azogroup has been used in the synthesis of some block copoly mers with acrylonitrile (AN), phenylacetylene and isoprene. The poly ( MMA-b-AN) conversion is dependent on the macroinitiator concentration and actual azo group number thereof. The block copolymer structure is supported by IR and NMR spectra.