Preparation, polymerization, and copolymerization of N-vinyl phthalimidine

Abstract The preparation, polymerization, and copolymerization of N-vinyl phthalimidine were investigated. The monomer was prepared by the dehydrochlorination of N-(β-chloroethyl) phthalimidine. Polymerization was carried out in the presence of radical or cationic initiators in bulk and in solution. It was found that polymerizability with cationic initiators was larger than that with radical ones. The resulting polymers had a softening point in the range of 160–180°C, the reduced viscosities being small. Copolymerization with acrylonitrile and styrene was carried out in dimethylformamide and benzene by radical initiators. The monomer reactivity ratios and Alfrey-Price Q, and e values calculated from the copolymerization data of the monomer (M1) and styrene (M2) were r1=0.05, r2=7.4, Q1=0.30, and e1=−1.80. Values for N-vinyl pyrrolidone (M1) were likewise determined for the sake of comparison, and found to be r1=0.02, r2=12.0, Q1=0.22, and e1=−1.99.