Solvent effects in radical copolymerization between hydrophilic and hydrophobic monomers; 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate and lauryl methacrylate

Abstract

The radical copolymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA, M1) and lauryl methacrylate (LMA, M2) was investigated at 60°C with AIBN in various solvents including benzene, tetrahydrofuran, tert-butylalcohol, and dimethylformamide. HEMA was found to have an abnormally high, apparent monomer reactivity ratio in benzene, r1=11.2, corresponding to its high aggregation tendency in this solvent as a result of hydrogen-bonding. The apparent reactivity ratios are more or less close to azeotropic unity in the other solvents. The solution behavior of monomers is proposed as a factor in the copolymerization between hydrophilic and hydrophobic monomers. © 1985 The Society of Polymer Science, Japan.