Copolymerization of p-divinylbenzene and esters of fumaric acid

The microstructure of the linear copolymers based on p-divinylbenzene and esters of fumaric acid was studied by 13 C and 1 H NMR spectroscopy. The reactivity ratios were determined, and the parameters of microblockiness were estimated. The mechanism for forming the network structure of copolymers, whose molecular chains contain no local thickening of monomer units, is suggested. Precipitative copolymerization of diethyl fumarate and p-divinylbenzene at the monomer ratios 2: 1 and 1: 1 yielded network matrices of porous structure with an average pore size of 6-8.5 nm. The copolymers were obtained by a new polymerization technique involving the use of thermoreversible gels.