Synthesis and styrene copolymerization of novel trisubstituted ethylenes: 11. Halogen ring-substituted propyl 2-cyano-3-phenyl-2-propenoates.

Novel trisubstituted ethylenes, ring-substituted propyl 2-cyano-3-phenyl-2-propenoates, RPhCH=C(CN)CO₂C₃H₇ (where R is 4-chloro-3-fluoro, 2-fluoro-5-iodo, 2-fluoro-6-iodo, 2-trifluoromethyl, 3-trifluoromethyl, 4-trifluoromethyl, 2-trifluoromethoxy, 3-trifluoromethoxy, and 4-trifluoromethoxy) were prepared and copolymerized with styrene. The ethylenes were synthesized by the piperidine catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring-substituted benzaldehydes and propyl cyanoacetate and characterized by CHN analysis, FTIR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR. All the ethylenes were copolymerized with styrene in solution with radical initiation (ABCN) at 70 °C. The composition of the copolymers was calculated from nitrogen analysis, and the structures were analyzed by FTIR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR. Decomposition of the copolymers in nitrogen (TGA) occurred in two steps, first in the 250-500 °C range with residue (0.5-3.1% wt.), which then decomposed in the 500-700 °C range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]