Copolymers of Phenoxyethyl Methacrylate with N‐Vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone: Synthesis, Characterization and Reactivity Ratios

Abstract

The free radical copolymerization of phenoxyethyl methacrylate (POEMA) and N‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (Vp) was carried out using α,α′‐azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) in 2‐butanone solution at 333 K±1. The copolymers were characterized by FTIR, 1H‐NMR and 13C‐NMR spectroscopic methods. Thermal properties of the copolymers were also studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The composition of the copolymers was established by 1H‐NMR analysis. The monomer reactivity ratios were computed using the Fineman–Ross (F‐R) and Kelen–Tüdos (K‐T) methods. These parameters were also estimated using a non‐linear computational fitting procedure, known as reactivity ratios error in variable model (RREVM). The mean sequence lengths determination indicates that the copolymer was random in nature.