Synthesis and styrene copolymerization of novel alkyl ring-substituted t-butyl phenylcyanoacrylates

Novel alkyl ring-substituted t-butyl phenylcyanoacrylates, RPhCH=C(CN)CO2C(CH3)3 (where R is H, 2-methyl, 3-methyl, 4-methyl, 2-ethyl, 4-ethyl, 4-propyl, 4-i-propyl, 4-butyl, 4-i-butyl) were prepared and copolymerized with styrene. The acrylates were synthesized by the piperidine catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring-substituted benzaldehydes and t-butyl 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.