Synthesis and styrene copolymerization of novel trisubstituted ethylenes: 6. Methyl and methoxy ring-disubstituted 2-methoxyethyl 2-cyano-3-phenyl-2-propenoates

Novel trisubstituted ethylenes, methyl and methoxy ring-disubstituted 2-methoxyethyl phenylcyanoacrylates, RPhCH=C(CN)CO₂CH₂CH₂OCH₃ (where R is 2,3-dimethyl, 2,4-dimethyl, 2,5-dimethyl, 2,6-dimethyl, 3,4-dimethyl, 3,5-dimethyl, 2,3-dimethoxy, 2,4-dimethoxy, 2,5-dimethoxy, 2,6-dimethoxy, 3,4-dimethoxy, 3,5-dimethoxy) 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.