Graft and crosslinked copolymers by nucleophilic reaction between maleic anhydride copolymers and carbanions

Summary Grafting of polystyryl and copoly(styrene-b-isopren)yl maorocarbanions onto ethylene-maleic anhydride alternating copolymer was carried out under reaction conditions such as to obtain copolymers with middle-low grafting degree and long lateral chains. In order to ascertain the absence of secondary reactions, the coupling of n-BuLi with succinic anhydride vas investigated, and no secondary reaction vas observed. The graft copolymers, wich have molecular weights and elemental composition in good agreement with those expected, were studied by IR spectroscopy and DSC. Both spectra and calorimetric curves confirm the structures assigned to the copolymers. The tensile properties of the copolymers with copoly(styrene-b-isoprene) lateral chains were also investigated, The properties appear very dependent on the degree of grafting, on the solvent (benzene or THF) from which the specimens were deposited, and on their thermal history.