Radical‐initiated homo‐ and copolymerization of cyanomethyl methacrylate

The kinetics of methoxymethyl methacrylate (MOMA) homopolymerization has been investigated in benzene, using azobis(isobutyronitrile) as an initiator. The rate of polymerization (Rp) could be expressed by Rp = k[AIBN]0.5 [MOMA]1.19. The overall activation energy was calculated to be 73.2 kJ/mol. Kinetic constants for MOMA polymerization were obtained as follows: kp/kt1/2 = 0.091 L1/2 · mol−1/2 · s−1/2; 2fkd = 1.37 × 10−5 s−1. The values of K and a in the Mark–Houwink equation, [η] = KMa, where K = 5.89 × 10−5 and a = 0.82 when M = Mn and the solvent was benzene. The relative reactivity ratios of MOMA (M2) copolymerizations with styrene (r1 = 0.40, r2 = 0.58) were obtained. Applying the Q-e scheme led to Q = 0.78 and e = 0.67. The glass transition temperature (Tg) of poly(MOMA) was observed to be 64°C by DSC. Thermogravimetry of poly(MOMA) showed a 10% weight loss at 230°C in air.