Azobisisobutyronitrile → Norbornene methyl acrylate

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

Norbornene (15.8 g, 168 mmol), methyl acrylate (10 mL, 112 mmol), and AIBN (2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile) (0.037 g, 0.22 mmol) were charged into a 250 mL Schlenk flask and dissolved in 30 mL of toluene. Ethylaluminum sesquichloride (0.277 g, 1.12 mmol) was charged into a 100 mL flask and dissolved in 20 mL of toluene. The toluene solution of ethylaluminum sesquichloride was slowly dropped to the 250 mL Schlenk flask at −70° C. The reaction temperature was raised to 45° C. while stirring the mixture for 2 hours, and then the reaction was performed at 45° C. for 12 hours. The reaction solution turned to light green in color during the reaction. After the reaction was completed, the reaction solution was slowly dropped to 3000 cc of 5% v/v HCl—MeOH to precipitate a white polymer, which was filtered through a glass filter and dried in a vacuum oven at 70° C. for 12 hours to obtain a norbornene-methyl acrylate copolymer (11.7 g: 58.2% by weight based on the total weight of used monomers). The copolymer had a Tg of 140° C., a molecular weight (Mw) of 46,600, and Mw/Mn of 1.99.

Provenance & Evidence