Hybrid copolymerization of alkyl vinyl ethers with glycidyl ethers

Abstract

Abstract Homopolymerization and copolymerization experiments of isobutyl and dodecyl vinyl ether with propylene oxide, and some glycidyl ethers have been carried out by using both conventional cationic initiators (BF 3 , BF 3 ·OEt 2 ) and 4‐chlorophenyldiazonium tetrafluoborate as cationic photoinitiator. Conventional polymerization experiments performed under vacuum at low and room temperature gave rise to a mixture of the two homopolymers, indicating that the epoxide and vinyl ethers are incompatible with respect to chemical reactivity and that apparently no hybrid copolymerization occurs. Analogous results were obtained in parallel photoinitiated polymerization experiments.