Syntheses and crosslinking reactions of polymers containing spiroorthoester moieties

The radical copolymerization of unsaturated spiroorthoesters such as 2-methylene-1,4,6-trioxaspiro4.6]undecane (SOE I) and 2-methylene-9-methyl-1,4,6-trioxaspiro4,5]decane (SOE II) with vinyl monomers was carried out to find that SOE I and SOE II were copolymerized with electron-poor olefins such as methyl acrylate, acrylonitrile, and methyl methacrylate to obtain the corresponding copolymers containing spiroorthoester moieties, respectively. The obtained copolymers were treated with BF₃.OEt₂ or BzS⁺SbF to afford crosslinked polymers undergoing expansion in volume on crosslinking in those cases of copolymers of SOE I.