Alternating copolymerizations of styrene and acrylic monomers initiated with carbanions in the presence of ZnCl2

Abstract

AbstractOn electrochemical initiation of alternating copolymerizations of styrene–acrylonitrile (AN) and styrene–diethyl fumarate (DEF) in the presence of ZnCl2, radical anions of AN–ZnCl2 and DEF–ZnCl2 complexes produced at the cathode were assumed to initiate copolymerization. In analogy with the cathode‐initiated copolymerization, the radical anions of AN–ZnCl2 and DEF–ZnCl2, generated with the carbanions such as sodium naphthalene, disodium α‐methylstyrene tetramer dianion, and butyllithium, were also found to produce alternating copolymers of styrene–AN and styrene–DEF. On the contrary, no polymers were obtained from methyl methacrylate (MMA)–styrene and methacrylonitrile (MAN)–styrene in the presence of ZnCl2 either with carbanions or by electrochemical reduction. Styrene–MAN–ZnCl2 yielded an alternating copolymer with carbanions upon introduction of oxygen.