Spectral studies on copolymers of methyl methacrylate and copper acrylate

Abstract

Copper-coordinated copolymers were prepared by bulk copolymerization of methyl methacrylate with copper acrylate. A spectral-structural correlation was investigated for the polymers. Spectral changes on the copper content is increased from 2 to 10·7 wt% revealing a tetrahedrally distorted environment around the copper centre. Calculation of the splitting parameters, Δ 0, ϱ and δ, indicates a varying degree of distortion from octahedral geometry. For higher copper contents, changes in the values of 10 Dq and the splitting parameters suggest an increasing degree of covalency with increasing association of the carbonyl group in the cross-linked chains of the copolymer. The radial distortion parameters D s and D t have been determined. Variations in D t values indicate changes in the field strength of the CO and COO − ligands dependent upon the copper content.