Reactivity of double bonds of substituted <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-(methacryloyloxy)-<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-phenylmaleimides in free-radical polymerization

The thermoinduced free-radical polymerization of model systems, namely, methyl methacrylate and N-phenylmaleimide derivatives, has been studied. It has been shown that, in the polymerization of p-(methacryloyloxy)-N-phenylmaleimides, the yield of the polymer and its molecular-mass distribution (mono-or bimodal) and polydispersity depend on the degree of substitution and the nature of a substituent in a double bond of a maleimide fragment. The structure of the maleimide fragment, in turn, determines its capability to copolymerize with the methacryloyl group of a bifunctional monomer as well as the occurrence of chain-transfer and termination reactions.