<p>Novel chloro and fluoro ring-disubstituted isopropyl 3-phenyl-2-cyanoacrylates, RPhCH=C(CN)CO₂CH(CH₃)₂(where R is 2-chloro-4-fluoro, 2-chloro-6-fluoro, 3-chloro-2-fluoro, 3-chloro-4-fluoro, 4-chloro-3-fluoro) were prepared and copolymerized with styrene. The acrylates were synthesized by the piperidine catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring-disubstituted benzaldehydes and isopropyl cyanoacetate and characterized by CHN elemental analysis, IR, ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR. All the acrylates were copolymerized with styrene in solution with radical initiation (ABCN) at 70°C. The composition of the copolymers was calculated from nitrogen analysis, and the structures were analyzed by IR, ¹H and ¹³C-NMR, GPC, DSC, and TGA.</p>

<p>Novel ring-substituted isopropyl phenylcyanoacrylates, RPhCH=C(CN)CO₂CH(CH₃)₂ (where R is 2-chloro-4-fluoro, 2-chloro-6-fluoro, 3-chloro-2-fluoro, 3-chloro-4-fluoro, 4-chloro-3-fluoro) and isobutyl phenylcyanoacrylates, RPhCH=C(CN)CO₂CH₂CH(CH₃)₂ (where R is 2-methoxy, 3-methoxy, 4-methoxy, 2-ethoxy, 3-ethoxy, 4-ethoxy, 4-propoxy, 4-butoxy, 4-hexyloxy) were prepared and copolymerized with styrene. The acrylates were synthesized by the piperidine catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring-disubstituted benzaldehydes and isopropyl cyanoacetate and characterized by CHN elemental analysis, <br></p>