FREE RADICAL-INITIATED COPOLYMERIZATION OF 2,6-DICHLOROSTYRENE WITH MALEIMIDE, N-METHYLMALEIMIDE, AND N-PHENYLMALEIMIDE

The free-radical-initiated copolymerization of 2,6-dichloro-styrene (2,6-DClSt), with maleimide (MI), N-methylmaleimide (NMeMI) and N-phenylmaleimide (NPhMI) was carried out in butanone or in toluene at 65°C with different monomer-to-monomer ratios in the feed. The copolymer composition was evaluated by chlorine content in polymers. The reactivity ratios determined by Kelen-Tüdös method indicate the random arrangement of monomers in copolymer chains. In all studied systems, azeotropic points were observed at ratios of: 0.5 (2,6-DClSt) to 0.5 (MI) and 0.4 (2,6-DClSt) to 0.6 (NMeMI and NPhMI). Molecular weights of copolymer, which contain equimolar ratio of 2,6-DClSt-co-MI, NMeMI, and NPhMI are: M w · 10 −3 = 46.1; 90.4; 81.4. M n 10 −3 = 27.1; 46.0; 37.0. The copolymers are thermostable, film forming materials, which decompose by one-step mechanism between 400°C, and 500°C. The T g 's are linearly distributed between T g 's of homopolymers and in all cases, single well defined T g 's are obtained.