The temperature dependence of the monomer reactivity ratios in the copolymerization of styrene with methyl and ethyl cinnamates

✍ Scribed by C.A. Barson; M.J. Turner

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1973
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 260 KB
• Volume: 9
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0014-3057
• DOI: 10.1016/0014-3057(73)90011-6

✦ Synopsis

Styrene (M1) has been copolymerized with the methyl and the ethyl esters (M2) of cinnamic acid (carboxyl 14C) at temperatures between 40 and 130 °, using azoisobutyronitrile as initiator. The compositions of the copolymers have been determined by liquid scintillation counting; since [MD >> [M2], a simplified form of the copolymer composition equation could be used for determining the reactivity ratio rl graphically. Arrhenius parameters have been derived; the energies of activation favour cross propagation whereas the frequency factors favour self propagation. Although the latter effect slightly predominates, there is no evidence of significant steric effects. These esters thus resemble cinnamic acid when copolymerized with styrene.