SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ANIONIC 2,3-EPOXYPROPYL METHACRYLATE POLYMERS AND OF RELATED RANDOM AND BLOCK-COPOLYMERS WITH METHYL-METHACRYLATE

Glycidyl methacrylate polymers and their random or block copolymers with methyl methacrylate have been synthesized anionically with a lithium organic initiator in tetrahydrofuran solution, at low temperature, with lithium chloride added to the reaction medium. In all cases, initiation and propagation involved exclusively methacrylic unsaturation, without touching the oxirane group of glycidyl methacrylate. The macromolecular species formed were characterized by titration of the epoxide groups, H-1 n.m.r., i.r. spectroscopy, s.e.c. and light scattering measurements. The determination of compositions, average molecular weight and polydispersity indices of the various samples were in agreement with the values expected.