Reactive polymers XIV. Hydrolysis of the epoxide groups of the copolymer glycidylmethacrylate - ethylenedimethacrylate

Hydrolysis of the epoxide groups of the copolymer glycidylmethacrylate ‐ ethylenedi‐methacrylate in variously concentrated sulphuric acid solutions was studied. An approximate activation energy of hydrolysis, 41 kJ mol−1, was determined from the temperature dependences. For the sake of comparison the effect of pH on the degree of hydrolysis over the whole range of pH values was examined, and the importance of the results with respect to other reactions of the copolymer used was discussed.