Cyclopolymerization of dodecanidiol dimethacrylate and identification of polymer structure

Dodecanidiol dimethacrylate (DDMA) was polymerized by a cyclization mechanism in low monomer concentration (0.075–0.5 mol/L) and high AIBN concentration (0.44−1.76 × 10 −2 ). The linear soluble polymer was formed even if the conversion of DDMA was as high as 25.6%. The glass transition temperature of cyclized polyDDMA (PDDMA) is about 4.5°C, which is 65°C higher than its homolog—poly(dodecyl methacrylate). The structure of the polymer was established by infrared and 1 H‐ and 13 C‐NMR spectroscopy. The head‐to‐tail contents in cyclized PDDMA, i.e., the formation of a 20‐membered ring, is predominant compared with those of head‐to‐head contents of a 19‐membered ring. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.