Kinetics and Mechanism of Multi-site Phase Transfer Catalyzed Radical Polymerization of Ethyl Methacrylate

Abstract

The application of multi-site phase transfer catalyst (denoted herein as QX₂) with water-soluble initiator for the radical polymerization of ethyl methacrylate (EMA) was explored. The radical polymerization of water-insoluble vinyl monomer (EMA), with water – soluble initiator (potassium peroxydisulphate PDS) and a multi-site phase transfer catalyst (1,4-bis tributyl methyl ammonium) benzene dichloride TBMABDC) were carried out in a water/cyclohexane two-phase system at constant temperature 60±1°C under nitrogen circumstances. The rate of polymerization (Rp) was determined as a function of various reaction parameters such as the concentration of monomer, initiator, catalyst and variation of the aqueous phase and organic solvents and temperature. Based on the experimental results, a suitable kinetic scheme and mechanism has been proposed for the polymerization reaction.

Keywords:

• kinetics
• multi-site phase transfer catalyst
• radical polymerization
• rate polymerization

Notes

[EMA]: 2.0 mol · dm⁻³; [K₂S₂O₈]: 2.0 × 10⁻² mol · dm⁻³; [TBMABDC]: 2.0 × 10⁻² mol · dm⁻³ [H⁺]: 0.5 mol · dm⁻³; [µ]: 0.2 mol · dm⁻³; Temp: 60±1°C.

[K₂S₂O₈]: 2.0 × 10⁻² mol · dm⁻³; [TBMABDC]: 2.0 × 10⁻² mol · dm; [H⁺]: 0.5 mol · dm⁻³; [µ]: 0.2 mol · dm⁻³; Temp: 60±1°C.

[EMA]: 2.0 mol · dm⁻³; [TBMABDC]: 2.0 × 10⁻² mol · dm⁻²; [H⁺]: 0.5 mol · dm⁻³; [µ]: 0.2 mol · dm⁻³; Temp: 60±1°C.

[EMA]: 2.5 mol · dm⁻³; [K₂S₂O₈]: 2.0 × l0⁻² mol · dm⁻³; [H⁺]: 0.5 mol · dm⁻³; [µ]: 0.2 mol · dm⁻³; Temp: 60±1°C.

[EMA]: 2.0 mol · dm⁻³; [K₂S₂O₈]: 2.0 × 10⁻² mol · dm⁻³; [TBMABDC]: 2.0 × 10⁻² mol · dm⁻³ [H⁺]: 0.5 mol · dm⁻³; [µ] 0.2 mol · dm⁻³; [µ]: 0.2 mole dm⁻³.

[EMA]: 2.0 mol · dm⁻³; [K₂S₂O₈]: 2.0 × 10⁻² mol · dm⁻³; [TBMABDC]: 2.0 × 10⁻²mol · dm⁻³. [H⁺]: 0.5 mol · dm⁻³; [µ]: 0.2 mol · dm⁻³; Temp: 60±1°C.