HIGH-YIELD SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF 1,2-BIS(P-VINYLPHENYL)ETHANE

The quantitative synthesis and complete characterization of 1,2-bis(p- vinylphenyl)ethane (p,p-BVPE) and its meta-, para-mixed isomers are re ported. These crosslinkers copolymerize randomly with p-methylstyrene, leading to random crosslink distributions. The crosslinkers are prepa red by Grignard coupling of (m,p)-vinylbenzyl chloride in tetrahydrofu ran at low temperature to give the statistical mixture of m,m-, m,p-, and p,p-isomers in quantitative yield. Pure p-vinylbenzyl chloride is converted to pure p,p-BVPE. p,p-BVPE has also been separated from the mixture of isomers. The isomers are characterized by elemental analysi s, mass spectrometry, H-1-NMR, and C-13-NMR and by reversed-phase HPLC . (C) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.