Radical polymerization of N-[(1-n-butoxycarbonyl)ethyl]maleimide

Poly(N-[(1-n-butoxycarbonyl)ethyl]maleimide) (PBAM) was synthesized by solution polymerization with 2,2′-Azobis(isobutylronitrile) (AIBN) as radical initiator. The resulting polymer(PBAM) was characterized by infrared spectroscopy (IR), themogravimetry (TG), and differential thermal analysis (DTA). The initial decomposition temperature of PBAM is 321.6°C; the glass transition temperature of PBAM was 240.5°C. The effects of solvent, temperature, initiator concentration ([I]), and monomer concentration ([BAM]) on polymerization were also discussed. The overall activation energy (E_a) of homopolymerization was determined (E_a = 93.5 kJ/mol). It was revealed that the rate of polymerization (R_p) can be expressed as R_p ∝ [I]^0.58[BAM]. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 82: 424–427, 2001