NOVEL PHOTOINITIATED CATIONIC COPOLYMERIZATIONS OF 4-METHYLENE-2-PHENYL-1,3-DIOXOLANE

Photoinitiated polymerization of 4-methylene-2-phenyl-1,3-dioxolane (1 ) was carried out using either tris(4-methylphenyl) sulfonium hexafluo roantimonate or 4-decyloxyphenyl phenyliodonium hexafluoroantimonate a s initiators. H-1-NMR analyses confirmed exclusive ring-opening while DSC and SEC were used to determine the glass transition temperatures ( T(g)s) and molecular weights, respectively. Photoinitiated cationic co polymerizations of 1 were investigated with several acyclic and cyclic monomers. Copolymerization of 1 with vinyl ethers and a spiroorthoest er resulted in copolymers whose thermal properties were dependent on c omonomer ratios. Copolymers of 1 and dihydrofuran or dihydropyran affo rded soluble polymers with T(g)s significantly higher than the homopol ymer of 1. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.