Synthesis and styrene copolymerization of novel fluoro, methoxy and methyl ring-disubstituted octyl phenylcyanoacrylates

Novel fluoro, methoxy, and methyl ring-disubstituted octyl phenylcyanoacrylates, RPhCH=C(CN)CO2CH2(CH2)6CH3 (where R is 2-fluoro-3-methoxy, 2-fluoro-4-methoxy, 2-fluoro-5-methoxy, 2-fluoro-6-methoxy, 3-fluoro-4-methoxy, 4-fluoro-3-methoxy, 2-fluoro-5-methyl, 2-fluoro-6-methyl, 3-fluoro-4-methyl, 4-fluoro-2-methyl, 4-fluoro-3-methyl) were prepared and copolymerized with styrene. The acrylates were synthesized by the piperidine catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring-disubstituted benzaldehydes and octyl cyanoacetate, and characterized by CHN analysis, IR, 1H and 13C NMR. All the acrylates were copolymerized with styrene in solution with radical initiation (ABCN) at 70C. The compositions of the copolymers were calculated from nitrogen analysis.