Synthesis and styrene copolymerization of some ethyl phenylcyanoacrylates

Novel styrene copolymers with ring-substituted ethyl phenylcyanoacrylates, RPhCH=C(CN)CO2C2H5 (where R is 2-ethyl, 2-ethoxy, 4-benzyloxy, 2,3-dimethyl) were prepared in solution with radical initiation (ABCN) at 70C. The compositions of the copolymers were calculated from nitrogen analysis, being between 18.3 and 42.3 mol% of the acrylate monomer units.