Long-lived polymer radicals. VI. Polymerization of N-methylmethacrylamide with formation of living propagation radicals

The polymerization of N-methylmethacrylamide (NMMAm) with azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) was investigated kinetically in benzene. This polymerization proceeded heterogeously with formation of the very stable poly(NMMAm) radicals. The overall activation energy of this polymerization was calculated to be 23 kcal/mol. The polymerization rate (R_p) was expressed by: R_p = kAIBN]^0.63-0.68NMMAm]^1?2.5. Dependence of R_p on the monomer concentration increased with increasing NMMAm concentration. From an ESR study, cyanopropyl radicals escaping the solvent cage were found to be converted to the living propagating radicals of NMMAm in very high yields (ca. 90%). Formation mechanism of the living polymer radicals was discussed on the basis of kinetic, ESR spectroscopic, and electron microscopic results.