Copolymers of Acetylenic Acrylates and Methacrylates

The copolymers disclosed herein are of acetylenic acrylates and methacrylates having the formula CH2=C(R)C)) -Z CECH wherein R represents hydrogen or methyl and Z represents a divalent hydrocarbon radical of at least 2 carbon atoms. Polymerization of the acetylenic acrylates and methacrylates in free radical polymerizations generally result in crosslinked or gelled products since the free radicals will activate polymerization through the acetylenic as well as through the acrylic unsaturation. Therefore the copolymers are advantage ously prepared by anionic polymerization. The comonomers are those which are copolymerizable with acrylates and methacrylates in anionic polymerizations. Typical comonomers are styrene, its homologs and derivatives, monounsaturated acrylates and methacrylates, acrylonitrile, vinyl esters, vinyl chloride, vinylidene chloride, monoalphaole?ns, etc. The copolymers are particularly valuable for post-treatment and postreactions, such as bromination, decaboronation, thermal and radical cross linking, Mannich reaction with an aldehyde and ammonia or a mono- or di-substituted amine1 or reactions with niltrile oxides, aldehydes, ketones, epoxides, sodamide, etc. The copolymers can be tailored to give ultimate proper ties according to the type and the proportion of comonomers and the proportion of acetylenic groups as well as the type of postreactant or post-treatment.