<p>Novel oxy ring-substituted isopropyl 2-cyano-3-arylacrylates, RPhCH=C(CN)CO₂CH(CH₃)₂(where R is 3,4-dibenzyloxy, 3-benzyloxy-4-methoxy, 4-benzyloxy-3-methoxy, 2,3-methylenedioxy, 3-iodo-4-methoxy, 5-iodo-2-methoxy, 3,4-difluoro, 3,5-difluoro) 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, FTIR, 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 FTIR, ¹H and ¹³C-NMR. Thermal properties of the copolymers are characterized by DSC and TGA. Decomposition of the copolymers in nitrogen occurred in two steps, first in the 200-500ºC range with a residue, which then decomposed in the 500-800ºC range.</p>

<p>Novel oxy ring-substituted isopropyl 2-cyano-3-arylacrylates, RPhCH=C(CN)CO₂CH(CH₃)₂(where R is 3,4-dibenzyloxy, 3-benzyloxy-4-methoxy, 4-benzyloxy-3-methoxy, 2,3-methylenedioxy, 3-iodo-4-methoxy, 5-iodo-2-methoxy, 3,4-difluoro, 3,5-difluoro) 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, FTIR, 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 FTIR, ¹H and ¹³C-NMR. Thermal properties of the copolymers are characterized by DSC and TGA. Decomposition of the copolymers in nitrogen occurred in two steps, first in the 200-500ºC range with a residue, which then decomposed in the 500-800ºC range.</p>

Condensation of isopropyl cyanoacetate and substituted benzoic aldehydes resulted in formation of novel isopropyl esters of 2-cyano-3-phenyl-2-propenoic acid, RPhCH = C(CN)CO 2 CH(CH 3) 2

Phenoxy ring-substituted isopropyl phenylcyanoacrylates, RPhCH=C(CN)CO2CH(CH3)2, where R is 2-(3-methoxyphenoxy), 2-(4-methoxyphenoxy), 3-(4-methoxyphenoxy), 3-(4-methylphenoxy), 4-(4-bromophenoxy), 4-(4-fluorophenoxy), 2-(4-chlorophenoxy), 3-(4-chlorophenoxy), 4-(3-chlorophenoxy), 4-(4-chlorophenoxy), 3-(3,4-dichlorophenoxy), 3-(3,5-dichlorophenoxy), 4-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy) were prepared and copolymerized with styrene. The acrylates were synthesized by the piperidine catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of phenoxy ring-substituted benzaldehydes and isopropyl cyanoacetate, and characterized by CHN analysis, IR, 1H and 13C-NMR. All the acrylates were copolymerized with styrene in solution with radical initiation at 70C. The compositions of the copolymers were calculated from nitrogen analysis and the structures were analyzed by IR, 1H and 13C-NMR. Decomposition of the copolymers in nitrogen occurred in two steps, first in the 129-500ºC range with residue (2-10% wt.), which then decomposed in the 500-800ºC range.