Photopolymerization of exo-methylene-1,3-dioxolane with bisphenol-A-diglycidylether and methyl methacrylate using photoinitiators

The copolymerization of 2-exo-methylene-4-phenyl,3-dioxolane with bisphenol -A-diglycidylether and methyl methacrylate using a cationic and a radical i nitiator is described. The structure of the polymers is elucidated by NMR a nd IR spectroscopy. Using a cationic photoinitiator the dioxolane structure is maintained in the copolymer and remaining oxirane structures from the b isphenol-A-diglycidylether can be proved. Surprisingly, no complete ring-op ening of the dioxolane takes place in the presence of a radical initiator l eading to statistical copolymers with methyl methacrylate.