| Abstract: | The electroinitiated preparation of equimolar copolymers of styrene and diethyl fumarate is described. The reaction medium consisted of these monomers dissolved in a methanol–zinc bromide solution. Rates of polymerization increased with increasing applied current and the copolymer yield increased linearly with the total number of Faradays transferred. The copolymer composition is 1:1 and is essentially invariant with the degree of conversion (<15%), electroinitiation rate, and monomer feed ratios. A reaction mechanism involving donor–acceptor complexes and electroinitiated excitation of these complexes at the electrode is postulated. |
