Copolymers of substituted styrenes with vinylidene cyanide or methylvinylidene cyanide. 13C NMR studies of their microstructures

SUMMARY Various copolymers of vinylidene cyanide (la) and methylvinylidene cyanide (1 b) with substituted styrenes (2 a - g) were synthesized by radical copolymerization, and their microstructures were studied by I3C NMR spectroscopy. The copolymers of vinylidene cyanide with substituted styrenes have a perfectly alternating structure, but the copolymers of methylvinylidene cyanide are rich in alternating structure and might contain a minor part of poly(substituted styrene) as blocks or as homopolymers. A distinction between the two possibilities was not possible.