Experimental study of copolymerization. III. Copolymerization behavior of polychloroethylenes

Experimental results are reported for the copolymerization of cis ‐ and trans ‐dichloroethylenes and trichloroethylene with vinyl acetate and styrene. Unsymmetrical as well as symmetrical 1,2 polysubstituted ethylenes exhibit extremely small rate constants for self‐propagation, but are easily attacked by vinyl‐type radicals such as that formed by vinyl acetate. The attack of such monomers by vinyl “growing chain” radicals is retarded by substitution on the attacked carbon atom, but is favored by substitution on the other carbon atom of the double bond.