Copolymerization and monomer reactivity ratios of 2-(3-mesityl-3-methylcyclobutyl)-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate with acrylonitrile

The free radical copolymerization of 2-3-(mesityl-3-methylcyclobutyl)-2-hyd roxyethyl methacrylate (MCHEMA) with acrylonitrile (AN) has been carried ou t in 1,4-dioxane at 60 degrees C. The copolymers were characterized by infr ared, C-13 and H-1 NMR spectroscopic methods. The copolymer compositions we re established by elemental analysis. The reactivity ratios of copolymeriza tion were computed by using the Fineman-Ross and Kelen-Tudos methods, and w ere found to be r(1) = 0.29 +/- 0.002, r(2) = 0.98 +/- 0.003 and r(1) = 0.2 1 +/- 0.009, r(2) = 0.75 +/- 0.003, respectively (r(2) is reactivity ratios of MCHEMA). The glass transition temperature and thermal decomposition tem perature were investigated by DSC-50 and TGA-50 thermobalance, respectively . The solubility parameters and densities of all the copolymers were determ ined. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.