Preparation and reactivity of metal-containing monomers.

The radical-induced copolymerization of meso-tetraphenylporphyrin monomers with the vinyl group in a benzene or pyrrole ring and their copper and zinc complexes with styrene and methyl methacrylate was studied. Porphyrin comonomers decrease the overall polymerization rate and the number-average molecular weight of the products formed compared to the weight of polystyrene obtained under similar conditions. The main reasons for termination of chain growth by vinylporphyrins were revealed, and some quantitative parameters of these reactions were obtained. IR and electronic absorption spectra of porphyrin-containing copolymers are discussed. According to the ESR spectra, the copper-containing centers in the copolymers are fairly remote from each other, and the metal-containing polymeric systems are magnetically dilute. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]