Statistical radical copolymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate in a room temperature ionic liquid

Abstract

Use of a room temperature ionic liquid as the medium for conventional free radical copolymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate resulted in reactivity ratios that were significantly different from those obtained in conventional organic solvents or in bulk, demonstrating that polymerization in this alternative medium offers potential to create copolymers having new monomer sequences.