Vinyl Polymerization. LXVII. The Polymerization of Vinyl Acetate in the Presence of Zinc Chloride

Abstract

Abstract A study of the effect of zinc chloride on the polymerization of vinyl acetate has been made. Zinc chloride can initiate the cationic polymerization of vinyl acetate at above room temperatures to yield the colored low-molecular weight polymer. However, in the low-temperature photopolymerization of vinyl acetate initiated by azobisisobutyronitrile, zinc chloride accelerates the radical polymerization and the colorless polymer which is insoluble in the monomer is obtained. Elementary analysis, infrared spectra and X-ray analyses show that the structure of this polymer after purification does not differ with that of ordinary poly-vinyl acetate and polyvinyl alcohol obtained through the hydrolysis of this polymer has no crystallinity superior to that of the ordinary sample.