SYNTHESES OF COPOLYMERS OF CHLOROPRENE WITH ETHYLMETHACRYLATE AND GLYCIDYLMETHACRYLATES

Chloroprene (2-chloro-1,3-butadiene; CP) was prepared by dehydrochlori nation of 3,4-dichloro-1-butene (DCB) in aquous solution of sodium hyd roxide in the presence of tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (THFA) at 60-degr ees-C. The copolymers of CP with ethylmethacrylate (EMA) and glycidylm ethacrylate (GMA) were prepared by radical solution polymerization in benzene. The copolymers, poly (CP-co-EMA) and poly (CP-co-GMA), were c haracterized by FT-IR and H-1-NMR spectrophotometers and differential scanning carolimetry (DSC). It was observed that the copolymers were a morphous and had glass transition temperatures of about -34.5 and -16. 4-degrees-C, respectively. The monomer reactivity ratios were given as r1(CP) = 2.14 and r2(EMA) = 0.18 in the copolymerization of CP and EM A, and as r1(CP) = 4.02 and r2(GMA) = 0.12 in copolymerization of CP a nd GMA, respectively. For comparison, the graft copolymers of EMA or G MA onto CR(poly(CR-g-EMA) and poly(CR-g-GMA)) were also prepared. (C) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.