Studies in cyclocopolymerization. VI. Copolymerization of trimethylvinylsilane and dimethyldivinylsilane with maleic anhydride

This paper reports the results of copolymerization of trimethylvinylsilane and dimethyldivinylsilane, respectively, with maleic anhydride. The former forms a 1:1 alternating copolymer while the latter, being a 1,4‐pentadiene, forms a 1:2 cyclocopolymer. Consistent with the theory that charge‐transfer complexes are involved in certain copolymerizations, it has been shown in this work that both of the vinyl silanes studied form charge‐transfer complexes with maleic anhydride. The stoichiometric composition of these complexes have been shown by ultraviolet analysis to be 1:1 molar complexes. The equilibrium constants for complexation of trimethylvinylsilane and dimethyldivinylsilane with maleic anhydride have been determined by NMR and are 0.061 and 0.1071./mole, respectively.