Polymers of 3‐methoxybutyl acrylate (3‐MBA) were prepared by máss, solution, and emulsion polymerization techniques. The 3‐MBA polymers could be converted from soft, rubbery, soluble, thermoplastic films to hard, glossy, flexible, crosslinked films when exposed to air and/or transition metal catalysts at elevated temperatures. The crosslinked polymers are resistant to common organic solvents and to mineral acids. Strong alkalis degraded the crosslinked polymers. The second‐order transition temperature of poly‐3‐MBA is −56°C. as determined by volume dilatometry. A comparison of the crosslinking properties of poly‐3‐MBA and other alkyl and alkoxyalkyl polymers is discussed. An autoxidative mechanism is proposed for the crosslinking of 3‐MBA polymers.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.