Vinyl ethers Communication 7. Ion- and radical-induced homo- and co-polymerization of vinyl ethers of cyclohexanol,decahydro-2-naphthol, and 2-naphthol

Abstract

1. A study was made of the homo- and co-polymerization of cyclohexyl, decahydro-2-naphthyl, and 2-naphthyl vinyl ethers by ionic and free-radical mechanisms. 2. Conditions were found for the preparation in good yield of polymers of cyclohexyl, decahydro-2-naphthyl, and 2- naphthyl vinyl ethers and of their copolymers with ethyl, butyl, and phenyl vinyl ethers in presence of the BF3-ether complex. Most of these polymers were solids. 3. The polymerization of cyclohexyl, decahydro-2-naphthyl, and 2-naphthyl vinyl ethers in presence of benzoyl peroxide or 2,2′-azobis[2-methylpropionitrile] requires a large amount (up to 6%) of initiator, the application of heat, and prolonged treatment, and the yields of polymers are low. 4. In presence of benzoyl peroxide, cyclohexyl, decahydro-2-naphthyl, and phenyl vinyl ethers can be brought into copolymerization with the methyl esters of acrylic and methacrylic acids; depending on the relative amounts of the monomers taken, copolymers of various compositions are formed with vinyl ether contents of up to 44%.