Donor-Acceptor Complexes in Copolymerization. IV. Alternating Tendency in Free Radical Copolymerization. NMR Analyses of Alternating and Random Copolymers

An NMR investigation was carried out on variable composition, random and equimolar, alternating copolymers of acrylonitrile (A) with styrene (S), isoprene (I), and butadiene (B). The NMR spectra of the SA copolymers contained peaks at 3 τ (aromatic ring protons), 7.2-7.5 τ (CH protons of A), and 8.1 -8.5 τ (CH and CH₂ protons of S and CH₂ protons of A). All NM R peaks of the alternating SA copolymer were shifted to the higher field due to the shielding effect of S. The NMR spectra of the IA copolymers contained peaks at 4.72-4.91 τ (?CH protons of I), 7.27-7.4 τ (CH protons of A), 7.71-7.93 τ (CH₂ protons of I), and 8.35 τ (CH₃ protons of I and CH₂ protons of A). The peaks at 4.72 τ (?CH) and 7.72 τ (CH₂) were assigned to I in the I-A diad and the peaks at 4.91 τ (?CH) and 7.93 τ (CH₂) were assigned to I in the I-I diad. The NMR spectra of the BA copolymers contained peaks at 4.4-4.6 τ (?CH protons of B), 7.2-7.5 τ (CH protons of A), 7.71-7.97 T (CH₂ protons of B), and 8.0-8.4 τ (CH₂ protons of A). The peaks at 4.42 τ (?CH) and 7.71 τ (CH₂) were assigned to B in the B-A diad and the peaks at 4.6 τ (?CH) and 7.9 τ(CH₂) were assigned to B in the B-B diad. The alternating structure of the copolymers prepared through metal halide-activated complexes was confirmed by NMR analysis. The random copolymers prepared by free radical initiation contain a high concentration of alternating sequences, as anticipated from the values of r₁ and r₂ where r₁(S, I, and B) is 6-10 times higher than r₂ (A).