NOVEL FUNCTIONAL COPOLYMERS OF TRISUBSTITUTED ETHYLENES WITH STYRENE

Copolymers of styrene and 2-[(R-phenyl)methylene]-propanedinitrile (where R is 2-ethyl, 4-isopropyl, 4-butyl, 4-tert-butyl, 2-ethoxy, 4-hexyloxy, and 4-isobutyl) were prepared in solution with radical initiation. The composition of the copolymers was calculated from nitrogen analysis and the structure was analyzed by IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR. The copolymers were characterized by GPC, DSC, and TGA. Higher glass transition temperature of the copolymers in comparison with that of homopolymers indicates a decrease in chain mobility of the copolymer due to the high dipolar character of the trisubstituted ethylene monomer unit.