Photopolymerization of exo-methylene-1,3-dioxolane with bisphenol-A-diglycidylether and methyl methacrylate using photoinitiators

The copolymerization of 2-exo-methylene-4-phenyl, 3-dioxolane with bisphenol-A-diglycidylether and methyl methacrylate using a cationic and a radical initiator is described. The structure of the polymers is elucidated by NMR and IR spectroscopy. Using a cationic photoinitiator the dioxolane structure is maintained in the copolymer and remaining oxirane structures from the bisphenol-A-diglycidylether can be proved. Surprisingly, no complete ring-opening of the dioxolane takes place in the presence of a radical initiator leading to statistical copolymers with methyl methacrylate.