Reactivity of monoenic and conjugated diene systems present in unsaturated olefin terpolymers—II. Reactions with methyl radicals

The experimental rate constants for the reactions of methyl radicals with model compounds simulating ethylidene-norbornene (ENB), methylene-norbornene (MNB) and isopropylidene-dicyclopentadiene (IPDCP) units in EPDM and EPTM elastomers are reported. These constants, as well as others reported in a previous paper or derived from the literature, have been used to perform a kinetic analysis of the grafting of styrene onto EPM, EP-ENB or EP-IPDCP in inert solvent. The systems of kinetic differential equations have been solved by numerical integration without steady state approximation. Valuable information has been obtained on the role of the nature of radical initiators and the sensitivity of the results to change with constants in the various steps.