Graft and crosslinked copolymers by nucleophilic reaction between maleic anhydride copolymers and carbanions. II: Synthesis and characterization of copolymers with middle-low grafting degree and long lateral chains

Grafting of polystyryl and copoly(styrene-b-isopren)yl macrocarbanions onto ethylene--maleic anhydride alternating copolymer was carried out under reaction conditions such as to obtain copolymers with middle-low grafting degree and long lateral chains. In order to ascertain the absence of secondary reactions, the coupling of n-BuLi with succinic anhydride was investigated, and no secondary reaction was observed. The graft copolymers, which have molecular weights and elemental composition in good agreement with those expected, were studied by IR spectroscopy and DSC. Both spectra and calorimetric curves confirm the structures assigned to the copolymers. The tensile properties of the copolymers with copoly(styrene-b-isoprene) lateral chains were also investigated. The properties appear very dependent on the degree of grafting, on the solvent (benzene or THF) from which the specimens were deposited, and on their thermal history. 13 ref.--AA