Dispersion copolymerization of 2‐ethylhexyl methacrylate and vinylbenzyl chloride and functional group conversions in a fluorinated solvent using microwave heating

Conventional and microwave heating were compared for free radical dispersion polymerizations of crosslinked copolymers of 2‐ethylhexyl methacrylate, vinylbenzyl chloride (VBC), and fluoroalkyl methacryate monomers in the solvent nonafluorobutyl ethyl ether, and for the functional conversion of the VBC units of the copolymer particles with trimethylamine to quaternary ammonium chloride units. By conventional heating, all polymerizations produced foamy coagulated products consisting of primary spherical particles 1–2 μm in diameter. Microwave heating using poly(1H,1H‐dihydroperfluorooctyl acrylate) as a stabilizer gave faster polymerization and stable dispersions of discrete 1 μm particles. Microwave heating also gave faster reactions of the copolymers with trimethylamine to produce quaternary ammonium chloride functionalized colloidal particles. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 3813–3819, 2008