| Abstract: | 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. |
