Sterically hindered bismaleimide monomer: Molten state reactivity and kinetics of polymerization

Abstract Different bismaleimide monomers with aromatic structures tetrasubstituted by alkyl groups R with variable steric hindrance were synthesized and characterized by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), 1 H and 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Fourier transform infrared absorption (FT-IR). The kinetic results showed a reduced reactivity in the molten state that did not depend on the electronic effect, but rather the steric hindrance caused by the R groups in proximity to the reactive double bond of maleimide in the thermally primed homopolymerization reaction.