Synthesis and styrene copolymerization of alkoxy ring-substituted 2-methoxyethyl phenylcyanoacrylates

Novel trisubstituted ethylenes, alkoxy ring-substituted 2-methoxyethyl phenylcyanoacrylates, RPhCH=C(CN)CO2CH2CH2OCH3 (where R is 2-methoxy, 3-methoxy, 4-methoxy, 2-ethoxy, 3-ethoxy, 4-ethoxy, 4-propoxy, 4-butoxy, 4-hexyloxy) 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.