Copolymerization of N-vinyl phthalamide with acrylate and methacrylate monomers and preliminary analysis of the stereochemistry of poly(N-vinyl phthalamide)

Abstract

N-Vinyl phthalamide was copolymerized with methyl methacrylate, isobutyl methacrylate or butyl acrylate. The copolymerizations were initiated free radically and it was necessary to conduct the polymerizations in solution or else insoluble products would result. In most cases the polymerizations preceded to relatively high conversions in a short time. The conversions necessitated the use of high conversion methods to calculate the reactivity ratios. The N-vinyl phthalamide was found to be the less reactive monomer in all cases. As part of this study, poly(N-vinyl phthalamide) homopolymer was synthesized by free radical initiation. While the 1H-NMR spectrum yield very little information concerning polymer stereochemistry, the methine carbon resonance in the 13C-NMR spectrum displayed a sensitivity to polymer stereochemistry.