Copolymerization and Charge-Transfer Interaction of Methyl Isopropenyl Ketone Cyclodimer with Maleic Anhydride and Maleimide

Abstract

Abstract The copolymerizations of methyl isopropenyl ketone cyclodimer(MIPKD: 2-acetyl-2,5,6-trimethyl-2,3-dihydropyran) with maleic anhydride (MAn) and with maleimide (MI) in the presence of α,α′-azobisisobutyronitrile were investigated at 60 and 80°C. It was found that the copolymerizations were performed in both systems to give rather low molecular weight copolymers consisting of less than 50% MIPKD units. It was also observed from IR and NMR spectral determinations of the systems of MIPKD with MAn and with MI that 1:1 charge-transfer complexes with a small equilibrium constant were formed. Formation of these complexes seemed to affect the copolymerizations. Finally, the copolymerization of MIPKD with MAn was studied kinetically. The mechanism of copolymerization is discussed.