Radical reactions involving esters of fumaric acid—III. Chain transfer processes

Model compounds have been used in studies at 60° in connection with transfer to polymer during the copolymerization of vinyl acetate with esters of fumaric acid. Succinate esters were used to simulate the fumarate ester units and ethyl acetate the vinyl acetate units in the copolymers. The succinate esters are much more reactive than ethyl acetate in transfer reactions with polyvinyl acetate radicals. Methyl isobutyrate and methyl propionate were also examined to assess the difference in reactivity in transfer of tertiary and secondary hydrogen atoms. It is concluded that branching is a very important reaction in the preparation of high conversion copolymers of fumarate esters with vinyl acetate.