Novel polymers and their preparation

摘要

Synthetic linear head to head vinyl polymers and copolymers of general formula: where n is 10 to 10,000, Z is , X is halogen or hydrogen or an alkyl or aryl group, and R1 is an alkyl or aryl group; when Z is X may also be -C=N. Specified polymers are the 1, 2-head-to-tail polyvinyl halides, polyacrylic acids, polyacrylic acid esters, polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl alcohol esters. The polymers are prepared by the polymerization in a dilution solution of a monomer which contains two double bonds separated by three or four atoms, so that during a free radical polymerization a ring of either five or six atoms is formed and the resulting polymer consists of a sequence of such rings which are opened by hydrolysis or other appropriate reaction to provide the head-to-head polymer. Specified divinyl monomers are methacrylic anhydride which on polymerization forms head-to-tail polymethacrylic anhydride which can be hydrolysed to the acid or saponified to the ester; divinyl oxalate which on polymerization and hydrolysis forms polyvinyl alcohol; and alpha-alpha-dicyano-divinyl oxalate which on polymerization followed by hydrolysis and then treatment with a reducing agent gives head-to-head polyvinylacrylonitrile. Specified catalysts benzoyl peroxide, bis-azoisobutyronitrile and Friedel-Crafts type acids and alkali metals. Specified solvents are toluene and methyl vinyl ketone.