Synthesis, characterization and thermal properties of homo and copolymers of 3,5-dimethoxyphenyl methacrylate with glycidyl methacrylate: Determination of monomer reactivity ratios

The new methacrylic monomer, 3,5-dimethoxyphenyl methacrylate (DMOPM) was synthesized by reacting 3,5-dimethoxyphenol dissolved in ethyl methyl ketone (EMK) with methacryloyl chloride in presence of triethylamine as a catalyst. The homopolymer and copolymers of DMOPM with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) were synthesized by free radical polymerization in EMK solution at 70 ± 1 °C using benzoyl peroxide as a free radical initiator. The copolymerization behaviour was studied in a wide composition interval with the mole fractions of DMOPM ranging from 0.15 to 0.9 in the feed. The homopolymer and the copolymers were characterized by FT-IR, 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectroscopic techniques. The solubility was tested in various polar and non-polar solvents. The molecular weight and polydispersity indices of the polymers were determined using gel permeation chromatography. The glass transition temperature of the copolymers increases with increase in DMOPM content. The thermogravimetric analysis of the polymers showed that the thermal stability of the copolymer increases with DMOPM content. The copolymer composition was determined using 1H NMR spectra. The monomer reactivity ratios were determined by the application of conventional linearization methods such as Fineman-Ross (r1 = 0.520, r2 = 2.521), Kelen-Tudos (r1 = 0.629, r2 = 2.554) and extended Kelen-Tudos methods (r1 = 0.600, r2 = 2.502).