Abstract: | The polymerization of di-n-butyl itaconate (DBI) intiated with AIBN was kinetically investigated in benezene. The polymerization rate (Rp) was expressed by: Rp = k[AIBN]0.5[DBI]1.7. The polymerization showed a considerably low overall activation energy of 15.3 kcal/mol. The initiator efficiency of AIBN in this system decreased with increasing DBI concentration, ranging from 0.34 to 0.55°C, which is ascribable to viscosity effect due to the monomer. From an ESR study, the polymerization system was found to involve two kinds of persistent radicals, namely, primary propagating ( III ) and propagating ( I ) radicals. The relative concentration of III to I increased with decreasing monomer concentration. Azo-nitrile initiators such as AVN and ACN similarly produced two persistent radicals, while MAIB, DBPO, and PBO yielded only propagating radical I as persistent. The MAIB-initiated polymerization of DBI was also performed in benzene. Similar kinetic features were observed, that is, a higher dependence of Rp on the DBI concentration and a low overall activation energy (14.4 kcal/mol). The following rate equation was obtained at 50°C:Rp = k[MAIB]0.5[DBI]1.6. The initiator efficiency of MAIB decreased with increasing DBI concentration, ranging from 0.32 to 0.53 at 50°C. The concentration of propagating radical I was determined by ESR at 50 and 61°C, from which kp and kt were estimated. The kp value increased with increasing monomer concentration, while the kt one decreased with the DBI concentration. These values are much lower compared with those of MMA. |