TRIBUTYLBORANE-INITIATED GRAFTING OF METHYL-METHACRYLATE ONTO CHITIN

The grafting of methyl methacrylate (MMA) onto chitin initiated by tributylborane (TBB) was investigated at ordinary temperature. It was found that water was essential to the grafting. No grafting was observed in the usual organic solvents such as n‐hexane, tetrahydrofuran, and cyclohexanone. The total conversion and the percentage and efficiency of grafting increased with increasing chitin content. The extent of homopolymer formation also increased with increasing chitin content. The optimum concentrations of TBB and MMA for the grafting were determined. Activation energies were estimated to be about 22.8 and 27.4 kcal/mole for the grafting and homopolymerization, respectively. On the basis of these results the mechanism of the grafting onto chitin was discussed. Copyright © 1979 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.