POLYMERIZATION OF ACRYLATE MONOMER CONTAINING TWO HYDROXY GROUPS INITIATED WITH SODIUM HYDRIDE FOR SYNTHESIS OF HYPERBRANCHED POLYMER

ABSTRACT

Hyperbranched polymer 2b was synthesized by the proton-transfer polymerization of an acrylate monomer 1b containing two hydroxy groups. The polymerization was carried out in the presence of sodium hydride as an initiator at 80–100°C. The analytical data of the product supported the structure of polyester-ether 2b, obtained by the Michael-type addition, followed by the proton-transfer process. The values of the degree of branching were determined by the methanolysis experiment of the product polymers, which were in the range of 0.5–0.6. The highest molecular weight determined by GPC analysis was 7600. The molecular weight increased further after the quantitative consumption of the monomer, indicating the occurrence of the reaction between the polymer and the polymer.

Keywords:

• Hyperbranched polymer
• Proton-transfer polymerization
• Acrylate monomer
• Michael addition

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We are indebted to Dr. Yoshiro Kaneko and Ms. Masa Karasu for technical assistance.