The effects of aromatic solvents on the photopolymerization rates of isoprene,ethyl methacrylate,and styrene

The photochemical polymerization rates of isoprene, ethyl methacrylate, and of styrene in various aromatic solvents were measured. The average lifetimes of propagating radicals were measured by the rotating sector method. The polymerization rate constants, K_p, were determined and compared with dipole moments (μ) and Hammett σ constants for the aromatic solvents. Linear correlations of log(k_p/k_{p, benzene}) vs. μ and σ were obtained.