Azobisisobutyronitrile → Acrylic Acid

Participants

Reaction Steps

A cyanoethylacrylate/acrylic acid copolymer is prepared by mixing cyanoethylacrylate and acrylic acid in a molar ratio of 0.5 at a total solids concentration of 25 percent in cyclohexanone. The reaction solution also contains 0.04 percent 2,2'-azobis(isobutyronitrile) which acts as a free radical chain reaction initiator. As the reaction solution is heated, the 2,2'-azobis(isobutyronitrile) decomposes, with the evolution of nitrogen, forming two free radicals which initiate the polymerization of the cyanoethylacrylate and acrylic acid. The reaction solution is held at a temperature of 90° to 100° C. for 24 hours to form an oligomer of cyanoethylacrylate and acrylic acid having the following structure ##STR3## wherein x is such that the molecular weight is sufficiently low so that the oligomer remains soluble in cyclohexanone.

Provenance & Evidence