Efficiency of single and di- site phase transfer catalyzed polymerization of glycidyl methacrylate in the two-phase system: A kinetic study

Abstract

In the present kinetic study, glycidyl methacrylate has been polymerized using synthesized single-site phase transfer catalyst - 2-benzoylethyldecyldimethylammonium bromide and di-site –phase transfer catalyst -1,1,4,4-tetramethyl-1,4 dioctylethylenediammonium bromide along with potassium peroxydisulfate as the initiator in inert medium and at a constant temperature of 60°C. The effect of concentrations of the monomer, initiator, catalyst, ionic strength, pH and solvent polarity on the rate of polymerization has been examined. The order with respect to the monomer, initiator, and phase transfer catalyst was found to be 1, 0.5, and 0.5, respectively. A suitable polymerization mechanism is proposed. Ionic strength and pH has no impact on the rate of polymerization. It is observed that, as the solvent's polarity increased, the rate of polymerization also increased. Di-site phase transfer catalyst results in a higher rate of polymerization compared with single-site phase transfer catalyst while polymerizing glycidyl methacrylate.