Synthesis of Poly{1-(2-methylpropenoyloxy)phthalimide-co-acrylonitrile} and the Selective Separation of Water and Ethanol through Its Membranes

Abstract

A new polymer, poly{1-(2-methylpropenoyloxy)phthalimide-co-acrylonitrile} (Poly(1-co-2)) was synthesized based on molecular designs for the separation of water and ethanol. The sequence distribution of the copolymers were investigated by 13C NMR spectroscopy. A terminal model was used to interpret the propagation process in the copolymerization. The reactivity ratios in the solution polymerization at 45°C were evaluated as r1=1.90 and r2=0.39. Radical reactivity indices and frontier electron densities were calculated. The membrane prepared from this copolymer carried out a selective separation of water from aqueous ethanol solution by pervaporation method. The separation factor toward water was as high as 1200.