Abstract
Novel trisubstituted ethylenes, ring-disubstituted propyl 2-cyano-3-phenyl-2-propenoates, RPhCH = C(CN)CO
2
C
3
H
7
(where R is 2,5-dichloro, 2,6-dichloro, 3,4-dichloro, 2,3-difluoro, 2,4-difluoro, 2,5-difluoro, 2,6-difluoro) were prepared and copolymerized with styrene. The monomers were synthesized by the piperidine catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring-substituted benzaldehydes and propyl cyanoacetate and characterized by CHN elemental analysis, IR,
1
H- and
13
C-NMR. All the ethylenes were copolymerized with styrene (M
1
) in solution with radical initiation (ABCN) at 70°C. 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. Decomposition of the copolymers in nitrogen occurred in two steps, first in the 200-500°C range with residue (1.2-3.1% wt.), which then decomposed in the 500-800°C range.