Living copolymerization of octadecyl vinyl ether with isobutyl vinyl ether: copolymerization parameters and crystallization behaviour of the copolymers

Abstract

Cationic copolymerization of octadecyl vinyl ether (ODVE) with isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE) under reaction conditions leading to living vinyl ether polymerization has been studied. The experimental results show that, under such conditions, the living nature of the copolymerization can be retained. The copolymerization parameters were found to be rIBVE = 2.2 and rODVE = 0.30. Incorporation of up to 50% of IBVE units has only a small effect on the crystallinity of ODVE units. This is ascribed to the fact that the crystallinity is due to the octadecyl side-chains and not to the main chain, and that the copolymers have a gradient-like (tapered) structure. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry