Role of N,N-dimethyl-para-toluidine and saccharin in the radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate initiated by a redox system. I. Cumene hydroperoxide/copper saccharinate

Kinetics of methyl methacrylate polymerization initiated by a redox system [cumene hydroperoxide (CHP)/copper saccharinate] were studied in bulk at 20°C in the presence of accelerators such as N,N-dimethyl-p-toluidine (DMPT) and o-benzoic sulphimide (saccharin). Assuming a steady-state concentration of propagating radicals, the polymerization rate depends on the square root of the initiation rate and the kinetic orders with respect to each compound in the initiation step may be deduced. Initiation is first-order in CHP, copper saccharinate, and saccharin and second-order in DMPT. A reaction scheme consistent with these orders is proposed. The main features are the following: (1) CHP reduces rapidly Cu(II) to Cu(I); (2) a small fraction of Cu(I) is complexed with DMPT; (3) the complexed ions (Cu⁺, DMPT₂) are strong reductants with respect to CHP whereas uncomplexed Cu⁺ are almost inactive; (4) the decomposition of CHP is strongly catalyzed by saccharin (protonated CHP is 13000 times more reactive than free CHP). Thus both accelerators are necessary to get high polymerization rates. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.