Determination of the reactivity parameters for the copolymerization of butyl acrylate with vinyl acetate

The composition of vinyl acetate–butyl acrylate copolymers obtained with batch emulsion polymerization have been studied by ¹H-NMR. Using the integrated copolymerization Meyer–Lowry equation, the apparent reactivity ratios of the two monomers were calculated as 10.67 for r₁, the reactivity ratio of butyl acrylate (BA), and 0.024 for r₂, the reactivity ratio of vinyl acetate (VAC). These results were compared with those obtained by other methods.     

Ferrocene-containing polymers. II. Radiation-induced copolymerizations of ferrocenylmethyl methacrylate with styrene,methyl methacrylate,and ethyl acrylate

Ferrocenylmethyl methacrylate (FMMA) was copolymerized with styrene (St), methyl methacrylate (MMA), and ethyl acrylate (EA) in benzene solution at 25°C by γ radiation. The reactions proceeded by a free radical mechanism, and monomer reactivity ratios were derived by the Tidwell–Mortimer method for St(M₁)–FMMA(M₂), r₁ = 0.35 and r₂ = 0.46; for MMA(M₁–FMMA)(M₂), r₁ = 0.85 and r₂ = 1.36; for EA(M₁)–FMMA(M₂), r₁ = 0.36 and r₂ = 3.03. The Q and e values of FMMA determined from copolymerization with St were 0.97 and 0.55, respectively. Terpolymerization of a MMA–FMMA–EA system based on the Alfrey–Goldfinger equations was studied. This is a typical terpolymerization system in which reactivities of the monomers obey the Q–e scheme. Comparing the results obtained here with those previously reported for other monomers, we concluded that FMMA is one of the most highly reactive monomers among alkyl methacrylates.     

Copolymerization of glycidyl methacrylate with alkyl acrylate monomers

A newer approach to obtaining acrylic thermoset polymers with adequate hydrophilicity required for various specific end uses is reported. Glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) was copolymerized with n-butyl acrylate (n-BA), isobutyl acrylate (i-BA), and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate (2-EHA) in bulk at 60°C. with benzoyl peroxide as free radical initiator. The copolymer composition was determined from the estimation of epoxy group. Reactivity ratios were calculated by the Yezrielev, Brokhina, and Roskin method. For copolymerization of GMA (M₁) with n-BA (M₂) the reactivity ratios were r₁ = 2.15 ± 0.14, r₂ = 0.12 ± 0.03; with i-BA (M₂) they were r₁ = 1.27 ± 0.06, r₂ = 0.33 ± 0.031; and with 2-EHA (M₂) they were r₁ = 2.32 ± 0.14, r₂ = 0.13 ± 0.009. The reactivity ratios were the measure of distribution of monomer units in a copolymer chain; the values obtained are compared and discussed.     

Reactivity ratios and microstructure determination of vinyl acetate–alkyl acrylate copolymers by NMR spectroscopy

(Vinyl acetate)/(ethyl acrylate) (V/E) and (vinyl acetate)/(butyl acrylate) (V/B) copolymers were prepared by free radical solution polymerization. ¹H-NMR spectra of copolymers were used for calculation of copolymer composition. The copolymer composition data were used for determining reactivity ratios for the copolymerization of vinyl acetate with ethyl acrylate and butyl acrylate by Kelen-Tudos (KT) and nonlinear Error in Variables methods (EVM). The reactivity ratios obtained are r_v = 0.03 ± 0.03, r_E = 4.68 ± 1.70 (KT method); r_v = 0.03 ± 0.01, r_E = 4.60 ± 0.65 (EV method) for (V/E) copolymers and r_v ? 0.03 ± 0.01, r_B ? 6.67 ± 2.17 (KT method); r_v = 0.03 ± 0.01, r_B = 7.43 ± 0.71 (EV method) for (V/B) copolymers. Microstructure was obtained in terms of the distribution of V- and E-centered triads and V- and B-centered triads for (V/E) and (V/B) copolymers respectively. Homonuclear ¹H 2D-COSY NMR spectra were also recorded to ascertain the existence of coupling between protons in (V/E) as well as (V/B) copolymers. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Effect of reaction medium on copolymerization of acrylonitrile and methyl acrylate

The copolymerization of acrylonitrile (AN) with methyl acrylate (MEA) has been investigated in three types of polymerization, i.e., emulsion polymerization in water with a water-soluble initiator, suspension polymerization in water with an oil-soluble and water-insoluble initiator, and solution polymerization in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Monomer reactivity ratios at 50°C. for AN and MEA are found to be r₁ = 0.78 ± 0.02, r₂ = 1.04 ± 0.02 in emulsion polymerization; r₁ = 1.02 ± 0.02, r₂ = 0.70 ± 0.02 in DMSO solution polymerization; r₁ = 0.75 ± 0.05, r₂ = 1.54 ± 0.05 in suspension polymerization. The large differences found in the reactivity ratios may be attributed to the different ratio of concentration of two monomers in the loci of polymerization. Chemically, AN is somewhat more reactive than MEA as shown by the reactivity ratios in DMSO. In the case of the suspension polymerization, the MEA/AN ratio in the polymer particles in which polymerization occurs may be higher than that in the total phase. Experimental results of the emulsion polymerization show that the emulsion polymerization of AN occurs both in the particles and in water. In addition, rates of the copolymerization of AN with MEA have also been investigated.     

Propagation rate coefficients of isobornyl acrylate,tert‐butyl acrylate and 1‐ethoxyethyl acrylate: A high frequency PLP‐SEC study

Pulsed laser polymerization (PLP) coupled to size exclusion chromatography (SEC) is considered to be the most accurate and reliable technique for the determination of absolute propagation rate coefficients, k_p. Herein, k_p data as a function of temperature were determined via PLP‐SEC for three acrylate monomers that are of particular synthetic interest (e.g., for the generation of amphiphilic block copolymers). The high‐T_g monomer isobornyl acrylate (iBoA) as well as the precursor monomers for the synthesis of hydrophilic poly(acrylic acid), tert‐butyl acrylate (tBuA), and 1‐ethoxyethyl acrylate (EEA) were investigated with respect to their propagation rate coefficient in a wide temperature range. By application of a 500 Hz laser repetition rate, data could be obtained up to a temperature of 80 °C. To arrive at absolute values for k_p, the Mark‐Houwink parameters of the polymers have been determined via on‐line light scattering and viscosimetry measurements. These read: K = 5.00 × 10⁵ dL g⁻¹, a = 0.75 (piBoA), K = 19.7 × 10⁵ dL g⁻¹, a = 0.66 (ptBA) and K = 1.53 × 10⁵ dL g⁻¹, a = 0.85 (pEEA). The bulky iBoA monomer shows the lowest propagation rate coefficient among the three monomers, while EEA is the fastest. The activation energies and Arrhenius factors read: (iBoA): log(A/L mol⁻¹ s⁻¹) = 7.05 and E_A = 17.0 kJ mol⁻¹; (tBuA): log(A/L mol⁻¹ s⁻¹) = 7.28 and E_A = 17.5 kJ mol⁻¹ and (EEA): log(A/L mol⁻¹ s⁻¹) = 6.80 and E_A = 13.8 kJ mol⁻¹. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 6641–6654, 2009     

Copolymerization of acrylonitrile with 3-chloro, 2-hydroxy-propyl acrylate and methacrylate

Acrylonitrile (AN) was copolymerized with 3-chloro, 2-hydroxy propyl acrylate (CHPA) and 3-chloro, 2-hydroxy-propyl methacrylate (CHPMA) in water and water-acetone medium at 40°C with potassium persulfate and sodium metabisulfite as redox initiators. Copolymer composition was determined from the nitrogen content. The reactivity ratios for the AN-CHPMA system were also calculated by the Kelen–Tudos method. The reactivity ratio r₂ (CHPMA) was higher for the AN-CHPMA system in both media, which indicated higher reactivity of CHPMA toward the propagation species. Addition of acetone decreases r₂ and increases r₁. It was found that the copolymers prepared in water medium were not completely soluble in dimethylformamide (DMF); the insoluble fraction was rich in CHPA/CHPMA and increased with increasing comonomer composition. The influence of the acrylate comonomer on properties such as solubility and intrinsic viscosity was also studied.     

Free-radical copolymerization of 9-vinylanthracene

Free-radical copolymerization of methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, and methyl methacrylate with 9-vinylanthracene was studied, and the reactivity ratios r ₁ and r₂ were calculated. In the light of earlier data on copolymerization of 9-vinylanthracene with styrene results show that the difference in polarity of the monomers participating in the copolymerization has an insignificant influence compared with that of the steric factors involved in the reaction.     

Copolymerization of Tri-n-butyltin Acrylate and Tri-n-butyltin Methacrylate Monomers with Vinyl Monomers Containing Functional Groups

A new approach to obtaining thermoset organotin polymers, which permits control of crosslinking site distribution and, through it, a better control of properties of organotin antifouling polymers, is reported. Tri-n-butyltin acrylate and tri-n-butyltin methacrylate monomers were prepared and copolymerized, by the solution polymerization method with the use of free-radical initiators, with several vinyl monomers containing either an epoxy or a hydroxyl functional group. The reactivity ratios were determined for six pairs of monomers by using the analytical YBR method to solve the differential form of the copolymer equation. For copolymerization of tri-n-butyltin acrylate (M₁) with glycidyl acrylate (M₂), these reactivity ratios were n = 0.295 ± 0.053, r₂ = 1.409 ± 0.103; with glycidyl methacrylate (M₂) they were r₁ = 0.344 ± 0.201, r₂ = 4.290 ± 0.273; and with N-methylolacrylamide (M₂) they were r₁ = 0.977 ± 0.087, r₂ = 1.258 ± 0.038. Similarly, for the copolymerization of tri-n-butyltin methacrylate (Mi) with glycidyl aery late (M₂) these reactivity ratios were r₁ = 1.356 ± 0.157, r₂ = 0.367 ± 0.086; with glycidyl methacrylate (M₂) they were r₁ = 0.754 ± 0.128, r₂ = 0.794 ± 0.135; and with N-methylolacrylamide (M₂) they were r₁ ?4.230 ± 0.658, r₂ = 0.381 ± 0.074. Even though the magnitude of error in determination of reactivity ratios was small, it was not found possible to assign consistent Q,e values to either of the organotin monomers for all of its copolymerizations. Therefore, Q,e values were obtained by averaging all Q,e values found for the particular monomer, and these were Q = 0.852, e = 0.197 for the tri-n-butyltin methacrylate monomer; and Q = 0.235, e = 0.401 for the tri-n-butyltin acrylate monomer. Since the reactivity ratios indicate the distribution of the units of a particular monomer in the polymer chain, the measured values are discussed in relation to the selection of a suitable copolymer which, when cross-linked with appropriate crosslinking agents through functional groups, would give thermoset organotin coatings with an optimal balance of mechanical and antifouling properties.     

Poly(isobornyl methacrylate‐co‐methyl acrylate): Synthesis and stereosequence distribution analysis by NMR spectroscopy

Copolymerization of isobornyl methacrylate and methyl acrylate ( I/M ) is performed by atom transfer radical polymerization using methyl‐2‐bromopropionate as an initiator and PMDETA/CuBr as catalyst under nitrogen atmosphere at 70 °C. The copolymer compositions determined from ¹H NMR spectra are used to determine reactivity ratios of the monomers. The reactivity ratio determined from linear Kelen–Tudos method and non‐linear error‐in‐variable method, are r_I = 1.25 ± 0.10, r_M = 0.84 ± 0.08 and r_I = 1.20, r_M = 0.82, respectively. 1D, distortion less enhancement by polarization transfer and 2D, heteronuclear single quantum coherence, and total correlation spectroscopy NMR experiments are employed to resolve highly overlapped and complex ¹H and ¹³C{¹H} NMR spectra of the copolymers. The carbonyl carbon of I and M units and methyl carbon of I unit are assigned up to triad compositional and configurational sequences, whereas β‐methylene carbons are assigned up to tetrad compositional and configurational sequences. Similarly, methine carbon of I unit is assigned up to triad level. The couplings of carbonyl carbon and quaternary carbon resonances are studied in detail using 2D hetero nuclear multiple bond correlation spectra. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Determination of the reactivity ratios of methyl acrylate with the vinyl acetate,vinyl 2,2-dimethyl-propanoate,and vinyl 2-ethylhexanoate

The course of composition drift in copolymerization reactions is determined by reactivity ratios of the contributing monomers. Since polymer properties are directly correlated with the resulting chemical composition distribution, reactivity ratios are of paramount importance. Furthermore, obtaining correct reactivity ratios is a prerequisite for good model predictions. For vinyl acetate (VAc), vinyl 2,2-dimethyl-propanoate also known as vinyl pivalate (VPV), and vinyl 2-ethylhexanoate (V2EH), the reactivity ratios with methyl acrylate (MA) have been determined by means of low conversion bulk polymerization. The mol fraction of MA in the resulting copolymer was determined by ¹H-NMR. Nonlinear optimization on the thus-obtained monomer feed–copolymer composition data resulted in the following sets of reactivity ratios: r_MA = 6.9 ± 1.4 and r_VAc = 0.013 ± 0.02; r_MA = 5.5 ± 1.2 and r_VPV = 0.017 ± 0.035; r_MA = 6.9 ± 2.7 and r_V2EH = 0.093 ± 0.23. As a result of the similar and overlapping reactivity data of the three methyl acrylate–vinyl ester monomer systems, for practical puposes these data can be described with one set of reactivity data. Nonlinear optimization of all monomer feed–copolymer composition data together resulted in r_MA = 6.1 ± 0.6 and r_VEst = 0.0087 ± 0.023. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Copolymerization of 2-sulfoethyl methacrylate

Copolymers of 2-sulfoethyl methacrylate, (SEM) were prepared with ethyl methacrylate, ethyl acrylate, vinylidene chloride, and styrene in 1,2-dimethoxyethane solution with N,N′-azobisisobutyronitrile as initiator. The monomer reactivity ratios with SEM (M₁) were: vinylidene chloride, r₁ = 3.6 ± 0.5, r₂ = 0.22 ± 0.03; ethyl acrylate, r₁ = 3.2 ± 0.6, r₂ = 0.30 ± 0.05; ethyl methacrylate, r₁ = 2.0 ± 0.4, r₂ = 1.0 ± 0.1; styrene, r₁ = 0.6 ± 0.2, r₂ = 0.37 ± 0.03. The values of the copolymerization parameters calculated from the monomer reactivity ratios were e = +0.6 and Q = 1.4. Comparison of the monomer reactivities indicates that SEM is similar to ethyl methacrylate with regard to copolymerization reactivity in 1,2-dimethoxyethane solution. The sodium salt of 2-sulfoethyl methacrylate, SEM^?Na^⊕, was copolymerized with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (M₂) in water solution. Reactivity ratios of r₁ = 0.7 ± 0.1 and r₂ = 1.6 ± 0.1 were obtained, indicating a lower reactivity of SEM^?Na^⊕ in water as compared to SEM in 1,2-dimethoxyethane. This decreased reactivity was attributed to greater ionic repulsion between reacting species in the aqueous medium.     

Polyolefin graft copolymers via living polymerization techniques: Preparation of poly(n‐butyl acrylate)‐graft‐polyethylene through the combination of Pd‐mediated living olefin polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization

Poly(n‐butyl acrylate)‐graft‐branched polyethylene was successfully prepared by the combination of two living polymerization techniques. First, a branched polyethylene macromonomer with a methacrylate‐functionalized end group was prepared by Pd‐mediated living olefin polymerization. The macromonomer was then copolymerized with n‐butyl acrylate by atom transfer radical polymerization. Gel permeation chromatography traces of the graft copolymers showed narrow molecular weight distributions indicative of a controlled reaction. At low macromonomer concentrations corresponding to low viscosities, the reactivity ratios of the macromonomer to n‐butyl acrylate were similar to those for methyl methacrylate to n‐butyl acrylate. However, the increased viscosity of the reaction solution resulting from increased macromonomer concentrations caused a lowering of the apparent reactivity ratio of the macromonomer to n‐butyl acrylate, indicating an incompatibility between nonpolar polyethylene segments and a polar poly(n‐butyl acrylate) backbone. The incompatibility was more pronounced in the solid state, exhibiting cylindrical nanoscale morphology as a result of microphase separation, as observed by atomic force microscopy. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 2736–2749, 2002     

An efficient way to tune grafting density of well‐defined copolymers via an unusual Br‐containing acrylate monomer

A series of well‐defined amphiphilic graft copolymers, containing hydrophilic poly(acrylic acid) backbone and hydrophobic poly(butyl acrylate) side chains, were synthesized by sequential reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) without any postpolymerization functionality modification followed by selective acidic hydrolysis of poly(tert‐butyl acrylate) backbone. tert‐Butyl 2‐((2‐bromopropanoyloxy)methyl)‐acrylate was first homopolymerized or copolymerized with tert‐butyl acrylate by RAFT in a controlled way to give ATRP‐initiation‐group‐containing homopolymers and copolymers with narrow molecular weight distributions (M_w/M_n < 1.20) and their reactivity ratios were determined by Fineman‐Ross and Kelen‐Tudos methods, respectively. The density of ATRP initiation group can be regulated by the feed ratio of the comonomers. Next, ATRP of butyl acrylate was directly initiated by these macroinitiators to synthesize well‐defined poly(tert‐butyl acrylate)‐g‐poly(butyl acrylate) graft copolymers with controlled grafting densities via the grafting‐from strategy. PtBA‐based backbone was selectively hydrolyzed in acidic environment without affecting PBA side chains to provide poly(acrylic acid)‐g‐poly(butyl acrylate) amphiphilic graft copolymers. Fluorescence probe technique was used to determine the critical micelle concentrations in aqueous media and micellar morphologies are found to be spheres visualized by TEM. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 2622–2630, 2010     

Polymerization in liquid crystals—XI: Copolymerization of N-acryloyl piperidine with cholesteryl acrylate and phenyl-p-acryloyloxy benzoate

N-acryloyl piperidine (AP) was copolymerized with mesogenic monomers [such as cholesteryl acrylate (CA) and phenyl-p-acryloyloxy benzoate (PAB)] in isotropic solution using radical initiation (A_AP = 1.1, r_CA = 0.16, and r_AP = 0.81, r_PAB = 0.16. The copolymers are anisotropic having minimum values of transition and clearing points with composition. The composition corresponding to the minimum is a boundary between two structures as indicated by wide-angle X-ray scattering. Distribution of the gyration radii determined by GPC in tetrahydrofuran is identical to that of solid polymers measured by small-angle X-ray scattering, except that the average value of the latter is about 10^?6 cm less than that of the former. It was established that AP as a non-mesogenic comonomer did not suppress the mesomorphism of the copolymer and in fact formed mesomorphic homopolymers. In the solid polymer, the macromolecule which is anisotropic in geometry was found to form the structural unit having a minimum of the melting and clearing point with composition, as for a eutectic system.     

Cyclodextrins in polymer synthesis: free radical polymerisation of cyclodextrin complexes of cyclohexyl and phenyl methacrylate in aqueous medium

The polymerisation mechanism of 2,6-dimethyl-β-cyclodextrin (Me₂-β-CD) complexes of phenyl methacrylate ( 1 ) and cyclohexyl methacrylate ( 2 ) is described. The polymerisation of the complexes 1 a and 2a was carried out in water with potassium peroxodisulfate/potassium hydrogensulfite as initiator. The unthreading of the Me₂-β-CD during the polymerisation led to water-insoluble poly(phenyl methacrylate) ( 1b ) and poly(cyclohexyl methacrylate) ( 2b ). By comparison, analogously prepared polymers from uncomplexed monomers 1 and 2 in homogeneous organic solvent (THF) with AIBN as radical initiator showed significantly lower viscosities and were obtained in lower yields in both cases.     

Novel Copolymers of Styrene. 1. Alkyl Ring-Substituted Butyl 2-Cyano-3-Phenyl-2-Propenoates

Novel trisubstituted ethylenes, alkyl ring-substituted butyl 2-cyano-3-phenyl-2-propenoates, RPhCH=C(CN)CO₂C₄H₉ (where R is 2-methyl, 3-methyl, 4-methyl, 2-ethyl, 4-ethyl, 4-butyl, 4-t-butyl, 4-i-butyl) were prepared and copolymerized with styrene. The monomers were synthesized by the piperidine catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring-substituted benzaldehydes and butyl cyanoacetate, and characterized by CHN analysis, IR, ¹H and ¹³C-NMR. All the ethylenes were copolymerized with styrene (M₁) in solution with radical initiation (ABCN) at 70°C. The compositions of the copolymers were calculated from nitrogen analysis and the structures were analyzed by IR, ¹H and ¹³C-NMR. The order of relative reactivity (1/r₁) for the monomers is 4-ethyl (4.69) > 3-methyl (4.18) > 4-t-butyl (2.98) > 2-ethyl (2.52) > 4-butyl (2.47) > 4-methyl (1.86) > 4-i-butyl (0.94) > 2-methyl (0.87). Decomposition of the copolymers in nitrogen occurred in two steps, first in the 200–500°C range with residue (3–8% wt), which then decomposed in the 500–800°C range.     

Synthesis of Graft Polymers by Copolymerization of Macromonomers. II. Copolymerization Kinetics of Styrene-and Methacrylate-Terminatedpoly(2-Acetoxyethyl Methacrylate) Macromonomers

Styrene-terminated poly(2-acetoxyethyl methacrylate) macromonomer (EBA), methacrylate-terminated poly(2-acetoxyethyl methacrylate) macromonomer (MPA), and methacrylate-terminated poly(methyl methacrylate) macromonomer (MPM) were synthesized and subjected to polymerization and copolymerization by a free-radical polymerization initiator (AIBN). EBA and MPA were homopolymerized at various concentrations. EBA exhibited higher reactivity than styrene. The reactivity of MPA, however, was almost equal to that of glycidyl methacrylate. Cumulative copolymer compositions were determined by GPC analysis of copolymerization products. The reactivity ratios estimated were r_a = 0.95 and r_b , = 0.90 for EBA macromonomer (a)-methyl methacrylate (b) copolymerization. These values were not consistent with literature values for the styrene-methyl methacrylate and p-methoxy-styrene-methyl methacrylate systems. The reactivity ratios estimated for MPA and 2-bromoethyl methacrylate were r_a - 0.95 and r_b , = 0.98; equal to the glycidyl methacrylate-2-bromoethyl methacrylate system. MPA or MPM was also copolymerized with styrene, and the reactivity ratios were r_a = 0.40, r_a = 0.60 and r_a = 0.39, r_a = 0.58, respectively. These estimates were in good agreement with the reactivity ratios for glycidyl methacrylate and styrene. Thus, no effect of molecular weight was observed for both copolymerization systems.     

Tricarbonylchromium complexes of styrenes in radical copolymerization

The organometallic monomers styrenetricarbonylchromium and p‐methylstyrenetricarbonylchromium were copolymerized in ethyl acetate solutions with methyl methacrylate and butyl acrylate using azobisisobutyronitrile at 50 °C and a binary system including di‐tert‐butylperoxytriphenylantimony at 30 °C as the free‐radical initiators. Comonomers are proposed to form a molecular complex based on the results of ultraviolet and electron spin resonance spectroscopy. A kinetic study shows that chromium‐containing monomers at high concentrations in the mixture reduce the rate of copolymerization. The addition of styrenetricarbonylchromium to butyl acrylate significantly slows down the autoacceleration. The reactivity ratios of the comonomer pairs, namely, styrenetricarbonylchromium–methyl methacrylate, styrenetricarbonylchromium–butyl acrylate and p‐methylstyrenetricarbonylchromium–methyl methacrylate, were determined using the method of Kelen–Tudos for low conversion polymerizations.Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Atom transfer radical copolymerizationof acrylonitrile/n‐butyl acrylate: Microstructure determination by two‐dimensional nuclearmagnetic resonance spectroscopy

Atom transfer radical polymerization conditions were optimized and standardized with different initiator and catalyst systems. Acrylonitrile/n‐butyl acrylate copolymers were synthesized with 2‐bromopropionitrile as the initiator and CuCl/Cu(0)/2,2′‐bipyridine as the catalyst system. Variations of the feed composition led to copolymers with different compositions. The number‐average molecular weight and the polydispersity index were determined by gel permeation chromatography. Quantitative ¹³C{¹H} NMR was employed to determine the copolymer composition. The reactivity ratios calculated with a methodology based on the Mao–Huglin terminal model were r_A = 1.30 and r_B = 0.68 for acrylonitrile and n‐butyl acrylate, respectively. The reactivity ratios determined by the modified Kelen–Tudos method were r_A = 1.29 ± 0.01 and r_B = 0.67 ± 0.01. ¹³C{¹H} NMR and distortionless enhancement by polarization transfer (DEPT‐45, 90, and 135) were used to distinguish methyl, methylene, methine, and quaternary carbon resonance signals. The overlapping and broad signals of the copolymers were assigned completely to various compositional and configurational sequences by the correlation of one‐dimensional (¹H, ¹³C{¹H}, and DEPT) and two‐dimensional (heteronuclear single quantum coherence, total correlation spectroscopy, and heteronuclear multibond correlation) NMR spectral data. The complete spectral assignments of carbonyl and nitrile carbons were performed with the help of heteronuclear multibond correlation spectra. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 2810–2825, 2005