Manufacture of graft copolymers based on methyl methacrylate polymers

Abstract

Abstract 1439069 Graft copolymers BASG AG 25 Oct 1973 [26 Oct 1972] 49763/73 Headings C3P and C3R Graft copolymers are produced by reacting (A) a methyl methacrylate polymer containing at least 10 wt. per cent methyl methacrylate units, with (B) a high molecular weight organic material containing at least one alkylene oxide unit having an alkali metal alcoholate end group, and optionally containing one or more polymer blocks of conjugated diene and/or vinyl aromatic units, the reaction being conducted in an anhydrous inert organic solvent, e.g. toluene and/or tetrahydrofuran. Reactant (B) may be a polyalkylene oxide, a block copolymer of a polyalkylene oxide with polybutadiene or polystyrene, or a polystyrene or polybutadiene containing a lithium ethoxide end group. Reaction is stated to involve a transesterification at the ester groups of the methyl methacrylate polymer, with elimination of alkali metal methoxide, to give a product having side-chains of (B) attached to a mainchain of (A). If (B) is difunctional cross-linking also takes place between two (A) chains. In Examples, polymethyl methacrylate, prepared by either free-radical or anionic polymerization, is reacted with (1) mono-functionally living polyethylene oxide, (2 and 3) di-functionally living polyethylene oxide, (4) living styrene/ ethylene oxide 3-block copolymer, (5) living butadiene/ethylene oxide 3-block copolymer having the butadiene units mainly in 1,2- configuration, and (6) 1,4-polybutadiene having a lithium ethoxide end group.

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