Synthesis and styrene copolymerization of novel oxy ring-disubstituted isobutyl phenylcyanoacrylates

Novel oxy ring-disubstituted isobutyl phenylcyanoacrylates, RPhCH=C(CN)CO2CH2CH(CH3)2 (where R is 4-methoxy-2-methyl, 4-methoxy-3-methyl, 3-ethoxy-4-methoxy, 4-ethoxy-3-methoxy, 3,4-dibenzyloxy, 2-benzyloxy-3-methoxy, 3-benzyloxy-4-methoxy, 2,3-methylenedioxy) were synthesized by the piperidine catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring-disubstituted benzaldehydes and isobutyl cyanoacetate and characterized by CHN analysis, IR, 1H and 13C NMR. The acrylates were copolymerized with styrene in solution with radical initiation (ABCN) at 70C. The compositions of the copolymers were calculated from nitrogen analysis and the structures were analyzed by FTIR, 1H and 13C NMR.