Mechanism of charge‐transfer polymerization. XI. Radical copolymerization of N‐vinylindole with electron‐accepting monomers

N-Vinylindole (NVI) was copolymerized with such electron-accepting monomers as fumaronitrile (FN) or diethyl fumarate (DEF) under initiation with a radical catalyst. The compositions of the copolymers varied from 1:1.1 to 1:1.85 (NVI:FN or DEF). The FN or DEF content in the copolymer increased with increase in the molar fraction of the FN or DEF monomer in the monomer feed. It was suggested that both copolymers have a 1:1 recurring unit of NVI and the electron-accepting monomer, thus being alternating copolymers, and that further addition of the electron-accepting monomer to the indole ring occurred at its electron-rich β-carbon atom.