Vinylhydroquinone. III. Copolymerization of vinylhydroquinone and vinyl monomers by tri-n-butylborane†

The copolymerization of vinylhydroquinone (VHQ) and vinyl monomers, e.g., methyl methacrylate (MMA), 4-vinyl-pyridine (4VP), acrylamide (AA), and vinyl acetate (VAc), by tri-n-butylborane (TBB) was investigated in cyclohexanone at 30°C under nitrogen. VHQ is assumed to copolymerize with MMA, 4VP, and AA by vinyl polymerization. The following monomer reactivity ratios were obtained (VHQ = M2): for MMA/VHQ/TBB, r1 = 0.62, r2 = 0.17; for 4VP/VHQ/TBB, r1 = 0.57, r2 = 0.05; for AA/VHQ/TBB, r1 = 0.35, r2 = 0.08. The Q and e values of VHQ were estimated on the basis of these reactivity ratios as Q = 1.4 and e = −;1.1, which are similar to those of styrene. This suggests that VHQ behaves like styrene rather than as an inhibitor in the TBB-initiated copolymerization. No homopolymerization was observed either under nitrogen or in the presence of oxygen. The reaction mechanism is discussed.