Synthesis and styrene copolymerization of novel phenoxy and benzyloxy ring-substituted tert-butyl phenylcyanoacrylates

Novel phenoxy and benzyloxy ring-substituted tert-butyl phenylcyanoacrylates, RPhCH=C(CN)CO2C(CH3)3 (where R is 3-phenoxy, 3-(4-chlorophenoxy), 3-(4-methoxyphenoxy), 3-(4-methylphenoxy), 2-benzyloxy, 3-benzyloxy) were prepared and copolymerized with styrene. The acrylates were synthesized by the piperidine catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring-substituted benzaldehydes and tret-butyl cyanoacetate, and characterized by CHN analysis, IR, 1H and 13C NMR. All the ethylenes were copolymerized with styrene in solution with radical initiation at 70C. The compositions of the copolymers were calculated from nitrogen analysis.