| Abstract: | [2,6‐Bis(4‐hydroxybenzylidene)cyclohexanone] (HBC) was prepared by reacting cyclohexanone and p‐hydroxybenzaldehyde in the presence of acid catalyst. Acrylated derivative of HBC, 4‐{[‐3‐(4‐hydroxybenzylidene)‐2‐oxocyclohexylidene]methyl}phenyl acrylate (HBA), was prepared by reacting HBC with acryloyl chloride in the presence of triethylamine. Copolymers of HBA with styrene (S) and methyl acrylate (MA) of different feed compositions were carried out by solution polymerization technique by using benzoyl peroxide (BPO) under nitrogen atmosphere. All monomers and polymers were characterized by using IR and NMR techniques. Reactivity ratios of the monomers present in the polymer chain were evolved by using Finnman–Ross (FR), Kelen–Tudos (KT), and extended Kelen–Tudos (ex‐KT) methods. Average values of reactivity were achieved by the following three methods: r1 (S) = 2.36 ± 0.45 and r2 (HBA) = 0.8 ± 0.31 for poly(S‐co‐HBA); r1 = 1.62 ± 0.06 (MA); and r2 = 0.12 ± 0.07 (HBA) for poly(MA‐co‐HBA). The photocrosslinking property of the polymers was done by using UV absorption spectroscopic technique. The rate of photocrosslinking was enhanced compared to that of the homopolymers, when the HBA was copolymerized with S and MA. Thermal stability and molecular weights (Mw and Mn) were determined for the polymer samples. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 2494–2503, 2004 |
