Controlled Radical Polymerization of Captodative Substituted Methyl α-Methoxyacrylate with Captodative Substituted Morpholino Succinonitrile

Abstract

Radical polymerization of captodative (cd) substituted methyl α-methoxyacrylate (MMOA) with cd substituted morpholino succinonitrile is studied kinetically at 90, 110, and 130°C. The polymerization of MMOA proceeds at moderate rate to give a cd-capped dormant polymer in contrast to the polymerization with conventional azo initiator and the rate constant of the activation of the dormant is estimated to be intermediate between that of the nitroxide-mediated styrene polymerization and cd substituted succinonitrile initiated methyl methacrylate polymerization. On the basis of these results, the relationship between cd substitution effect and the stability of the dormants is discussed.