Copolymerization of vinyl acetate and unsaturated acids in the presence of germanium tetrachloride in methanol

Abstract

The influence of catalytic amounts of germanium tetrachloride on the copolymerization of vinyl acetate with acrylic acid and methacrylic acid in methanol is examined. It is shown that germanium tetra chloride exerts different effects on the formation rate, molecular mass characteristics, and composition of copolymers formed in these systems. For example, at a germanium tetrachloride to acrylic acid ratio of 0.02 (mol/mol), an alternating copolymer is formed, whereas in the case of methacrylic acid, a copolymer considerably enriched with methacrylic acid units is produced at the same ratio. The results are explained by different copolymerization mechanisms for both systems.