Chemical modification of crosslinked phenyl acrylate copolymers with monoethanolamine

Copolymerisation of phenyl methacrylate, 4‐chlorophenyl acrylate, 4‐nitrophenyl acrylate and 2,4,6‐tribromophenyl acrylate with divinyl benzene was carried out in aqueous suspension medium at 80°C using benzoyl peroxide as radical initiator. The resulting beaded copolymers were characterised by FTIR. optical and scanning electron microscopy. Polymer analogue reactions of these particulate copolymers with monoethanolamine were carried out at 60.80 and 100°C in dimethyl sulphoxide as solvent. The progress of the reactions was followed by observing the disappearance of phenyl ester carbonyl absorption at 1750 cm−1 and the appearance of 1650cm−1 vibration corresponding to the characteristic amide carbonyl. The percentage conversions were calculated, and the effect of polar substituents in the phenyl acrylates as well as temperature on the reaction are discussed.