Reactivity of monoenic and conjugated diene systems present in unsaturated olefin terpolymers—I. Reactions with t-butoxy radicals (CH3)3 CO•

The relative rate constants for the hydrogen abstraction and the double bond addition reactions of t-butoxy radicals (CH₃)₃ CO^? with the model compounds 5-ethylidennorbornane (I), dihydrodicyclopentene (II), isopropylidendicyclopentene (III) and methylcyclopentadienylnorbornylmethane (IV) have been determined by using as a reference reaction the hydrogen abstraction for iso-octane. With (I), (III) and (IV) the predominant process is the hydrogen abstraction, whilst for (II) both mechanisms are important. The results have been applied for the elucidation of some aspects of the initiating mechanism of peroxide-induced cross-linking of EPDM and EPTM terpolymers containing (I)-(IV) pendants.