Copolymerization of allylureas with lauryl methacrylate

Abstract Monomer reactivity ratios have been measured for the copolymerization of lauryl methacrylate and allylureas at 100°C., benzoyl peroxide being used as catalyst: lauryl methacrylate–monoallylurea, r1 = 29.9 ± 1.2, r2 = −0.22 ± 0.06; lauryl methacrylate–N,N‐diallylurea, r1 = 27.4 ± 0.8, r2 = 0.014 ± 0.05; lauryl methacrylate–N,N′‐diallylurea; r1 = 14.5 ± 0.7, r2 = −0.12 ± 0.04. The reactivity ratio r1 is of lauryl methacrylate relative to the allylurea molecule as a whole and the monomer reactivity ratio r2 is of the allylurea molecule relative to lauryl methacrylate. The values of the monomer reactivity ratios of lauryl methacrylate relative to a single allyl group in each of the allylureas have been calculated. It appears that the allyl groups in all of these molecules have similar reactivity for copolymerization with lauryl methacrylate. The monomer reactivity ratios provide evidence for cyclic propagation reactions in the copolymerization involving N,N‐diallylurea.