4‐(α,α‐dimethylbenzyl)phenyl methacrylate, 3. Synthesis, tacticity and glass transition temperatures of its polymers

Abstract

AbstractDepending on the kind of initiator, anionic polymerization of 4‐(α,α‐dimethylbenzyl)phenyl methacrylate in toluene at −78°C led either to highly isotactic or predominantly syndiotactic polymers as determined by 13C NMR spectroscopy. The glass transition temperature difference between the syndiotactic and isotactic polymer appeared to be smaller than in case of poly(alkyl methacrylates), probably because of a larger stiffening effect by the bulky aromatic ester group on the isotactic backbone than on the syndiotactic one.