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Synthesis And Styrene Copolymerization Of Octyl 2-Cyano-3-(R-Phenyl)-2-Propenoates, Martin S. Wasilewski

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Novel alkyl ring-substituted octyl phenylcyanoacrylates (OPCA), RPhCH=C(CN)CO₂CH₂(CH₂)₆CH₃, where R is H, 2-methyl, 3-methyl, 4-methyl, 4-ethyl, 4-propyl, 4-i-propyl, 4-butyl, 4-t-butyl, 4-i-butyl) were prepared and copolymerized with styrene. The ethylenes were synthesized by the piperidine catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring-substituted benzaldehydes and octyl cyanoacetate, and characterized by CHN analysis, IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR. All the ethylenes were copolymerized with styrene in solution with radical initiation (ABCN) at 70°C. The compositions of the copolymers were calculated from nitrogen analysis. Compositions of ST-OPCA copolymers ranged from 18.6 % to 27.4% of …