On the interaction of styrene‐maleic anhydride copolymer with styrene

Abstract The interaction between alternating styrene/maleic anhydride copolymer as polymeric acceptor and styrene as low molecular weight donor in acetone and/or tetrahydrofuran was investigated by UV spectroscopy and polymerization technique. The equilibrium constant for the complex formation between styrene and the maleic anhydride structural unit of the styrene/maleic anhydride copolymer at 20°C was found to be 0,02 ± 0,001 dm3·mol−1 in acetone and 0,06 ± 0,003 dm3·mol−1 in tetrahydrofuran. The results of the thermally initiated polymerization of styrene in acetone in the presence of the alternating styrene/maleic anhydride copolymer indicate that the copolymer or the products of the interaction between the monomeric units of maleic anhydride in the copolymer and styrene do not initiate a radical polymerization of styrene.