Studies on the radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate in bulk and in benzene using totally deuterated monomer technique

Abstract

Totally deuterated methyl methacrylate (MMA-d8) was polymerized with AIBN in bulk at 60°C, and the resultant polymer was analyzed for the initiator fragment by 1H NMR spectroscopy. Amount of the AIBN fragment at the beginning of the chain was found to be 1.15 per molecule, indicating 85% of the polymer molecules formed through disproportionate reaction. NMR analysis of the undeuterated PMMA prepared under the same conditions showed that the polymer contained 0.36 vinylidene double bond at the chain end. This is consistent with the results obtained from the P (MMA-d8). P (MMA-d8) prepared with BPO in benzene at 60°C had 1.20 initiator fragment per chain, 82% of which was phenyl group and 18% benzoyloxy one. Polymerizations in benzene with AIBN in the presence and absence of thiophenol were also examined. © 1986 The Society of Polymer Science, Japan.