Copolymerizations of styrene with magnesium, calcium, strontium and barium acrylates in dimethyl sulfoxide

Radical copolymerizations of styrene with acrylates of magnesium, calcium, strontium and barium were carried out in dimethyl sulfoxide. The monomer reactivity ratios were determined by the Yezrielev‐Brokhina‐Roskin and the Kelen‐Tüdős methods. In all cases the monomer reactivity ratio for styrene exceeded one and those for the salts were less than one. The Q‐values of the Alfrey‐Price scheme for the metal acrylates were within the range 0,1 − 0,2. For the values of the polarity parameter e the following sequence was found: eMgA2 < eCaA2 < eSrA2 < eBaA2 and the tendency for alternation in copolymerizations increased in the same order. The results indicate that the course of copolymerizations under study is predominantly affected by polarization of the vinyl groups in the salts.