Novel Copolymers of Styrene and Di‐ and Trimethoxy Ring‐Substituted 2‐Cyano‐N,N‐dimethyl‐3‐phenyl‐2‐propenamides

Abstract

4,5-(OCH 3 ) 3 ), were synthesized by potassium hydroxide catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ringsubstituted benzaldehydes and N,N-dimethyl cyanoacetamide, and characterized by CHN elemental analysis, IR, 1 H-and 13 C-NMR. Novel copolymers of the ethylenes and styrene were prepared at equimolar monomer feed composition by solution copolymerization in the presence of a radical initiator, ABCN at 708C. The composition of the copolymers was calculated from nitrogen analysis, and the structures were analyzed by IR, 1 H and 13 C-NMR, GPC, DSC, and TGA. High T g of the copolymers in comparison with that of polystyrene indicates a substantial decrease in chain mobility of the copolymer due to the high dipolar character of the trisubstituted ethylene monomer unit. The gravimetric analysis indicated that the copolymers decompose in the 270-4508C range.