Synthesis and Styrene Copolymerization of Novel Trisubstituted Ethylenes: 1. Alkyl Ring-Substituted 2-Methoxyethyl Phenylcyanoacrylates

Novel trisubstituted ethylenes, alkyl ring-substituted 2-methoxyethyl phenylcyanoacrylates, RPhCH=C(CN)CO₂CH₂CH₂OCH₃ (where R is H, 2-methyl, 3-methyl, 4-methyl, 4-ethyl, 4-propyl, 4-i-propyl, 4-butyl, 4-i-butyl, 4-t-butyl) were prepared and copolymerized with styrene. The ethylenes were synthesized by the piperidine catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring-substituted benzaldehydes and 2-methoxyethyl cyanoacetate, and characterized by CHN analysis, IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR. All the ethylenes were copolymerized with styrene in solution with radical initiation (ABCN) at 70°C. The compositions of the copolymers were calculated from nitrogen analysis.