Reactivity ratios of N-cyclohexylmaleimide and methylmethacrylate by infrared spectroscopy

The copolymerization of N-cyclohexylmaleimide (CHMI) and methylmethacrylate (MMA) with azobisisobutyronitrile as the initiator was investigated. Infra red spectroscope was applied to determine the copolymer compositions of the copolymers synthesized at 60, 70, 80, and 90 degrees C while the conversio ns of the copolymerizations were controlled to be below 10%. According to t he Mayo-Lewis equation, the reactivity ratios of N-cyclohexylmaleimide and methylmethacrylate were calculated. It was proved that N-cyclohexylmaleimid e was less reactive, and the optimum temperature of the copolymerization wa s 80 degrees C. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.