Fluorocyclopropanes. IV. Copolymers of perfluorocyclopropene

Abstract

Perfluorocyclopropene undergoes free‐radical copolymerization with ethylene, isobutylene, cis‐ and trans‐2‐butene, vinyl acetate, methyl vinyl ether, vinyl chloride, styrene, acrylonitrile, tetrafluoroethylene, vinyl fluoride, and vinylidene fluoride. The copolymerization proceeds most readily with electron‐rich olefins such as methyl vinyl ether (to yield a 1:1 copolymer), but conditions were found to give copolymers with electron‐deficient olefins such as tetrafluoroethylene and vinylidene fluoride. Copolymers with methyl vinyl ether, tetrafluoroethylene, vinyl fluoride, and vinylidene fluoride were examined in detail. Evidence is presented that the perfluorocycloproply ring is incorporated intact into the copolymer and can be subsequently isomerized to a perfluoropropenyl unit by heating at 200–300°C.