Synthesis, reactivity ratios and characterization of hydroquinone promoted CT co-polymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate in a room temperature ionic liquid

For the first time, charge transfer (CT) co-polymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate, promoted by hydroquinone (HQ) at various feed compositions, has been achieved in a hydrophobic ionic liquid. The co-polymers have been characterized for thermal and molecular weight properties. The molecular weights obtained for the co-polymers made in ionic liquid were found to be slightly lower than the corresponding polymers synthesized in conventional solvent. The reactivity ratios of the co-polymers have been computed and compared with conventional CT polymerization. The reactivity ratios of Sty-MMA indicate that the co-polymerization has a tendency to alternate and to produce a higher styrene content in the co-polymers. The numerical values of the inverse of r₁ and r₂ indicate that both monomer radicals have a distinct cross propagation tendency.