CROSS-LINKABLE EPICHLOROHYDRIN TERPOLYMERS WITH AROMATIC PENDENT GROUPS

Poly(epichlorohydrin) (PECH) and poly[epichlorohydrin-co-(ethylene oxi de)] (PECH-PEO) were modified with several aromatic carboxylates (benz oate, 4-(allyloxy)benzoate, 4-(5-hexenyloxy)benzoate, 3-(allyloxy)-2-n aphthoate, 3-(5-hexenyloxy)-2-naphthoate and 2-(allylthio)nicotinate) under solid-liquid phase transfer conditions to obtain crosslinkable t erpolymers with well-separated double bonds and a low chlorine content . Simultaneously to the substitution reaction, cleavage and crosslinki ng reactions take place. Most of these polymers were crosslinked by tr eating a mixture of them with 10 wt.-% dicumyl peroxide (bis(1-methyl- 1-phenylethyl) peroxide). In some cases it was more suitable to use 10 wt.-% 2,2'-azoisobutyronitrile as initiator, although it always gave low degrees of crosslinking. Arrhenius kinetic parameters could only b e determined for crosslinking processes promoted by dicumyl peroxide.