HIGH MOLECULAR DERIVATIVES OF VITAMIN A

Powdery polymers of vitamin A esters were synthesized by polymerizing acrylic and methacrylic ester of vitamin A under the presence of α, α′-azo-bis-isobutyronitrile as a catalyst at 70° or of n-butyl lithium in hexane at -10 to -20°. The polymer failed to be obtained when phenyl magnesium bromide was used as a catalyst. Crotonic and undecylenic esters of vitamin A were not polymerized by the above methods. Powdery copolymers of vitamin A esters with acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, styrene or 2-vinyl-5-ethyl-pyridine were also synthesized by the same methods.