ABSTRACT
Novel trisubstituted ethylenes, halogen ring-substituted propyl 2-cyano-3-phenyl-2-propenoates, RPhCH ˭ C(CN)CO2C3H7 (where R is 2-Br, 3-Br, 4-Br, 2-Cl, 3-Cl, 4-Cl, 2-F, 3-F, 4-F were prepared and copolymerized with styrene. The monomers were synthesized by the piperidine catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring-substituted benzaldehydes and propyl cyanoacetate, and characterized by CHN analysis, IR, 1H and 13C-NMR. All the ethylenes were copolymerized with styrene (M1) in solution with radical initiation (ABCN) at 70°C. The compositions of the copolymers were calculated from nitrogen analysis and the structures were analyzed by IR, 1H and 13C-NMR. Decomposition of the copolymers in nitrogen occurred in two steps, first in the 200–500°C range with residue (0.9–4.7% wt.), which then decomposed in the 500–800°C range.
Funding
The authors are grateful to acknowledge that the project was partly supported by the Coatings Industry Education Fund (CIEF) and Chicago Society of Coating Technology (CSCT). Valeria A. Sloan-Lyon was partially supported by CSCT funds and the CIEF Joseph A. Vasta Scholarship.