Method for preparation of methacrylate and acrylate polymers and copolymers by anionic polymerization

Abstract

The invention relates to anionic polymerization and copolymerization of methacrylate and acrylate esters and related polar monomers, e.g. acrylonitrile, by initiation with carboxylic acid esters formally substituted in the .alpha.-position with Li, Na, K, Rb or Cs and containing 3 - 30 C atoms in the straight or branched chain and 1 - 6 ester group in one molecule either alone or in the presence of C.sub.3 - C.sub.16 alkali metal alkoxide with the straight or branched chain. The polymerization or copolymerization is carried out at -80.degree. to +50.degree. C, advantageously at 20.degree. C and the molar ratios of monomers to .alpha.-metallo ester 10 to 1500 and alkoxide to .alpha.-metallo ester 0.5 to 80. Instead of the pure isolated .alpha.-metallo esters also a reaction mixture may be used which was prepared from the alkaline salt of substituted organic amide and non-metallated ester. Aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbons, organic ethers or their mixtures were used as solvents for both monomers and initiatora. The method is also suitable for preparation of block copolymers of the aforesaid monomers, if the second or further comonomer is always added after the completed polymerization of the preceding monomer and if the subsequent monomers are used either of the equal anionic polymerizability or in the sequence of their increasing anionic polymerizability.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.