Polymer conformation and viscometric behavior. viii. solution properties and chain flexibility of cyclic side chain containing poly(monoitaconates)

Monocyclopentyl and monocyclohexyl itaconates and the corresponding polymers, poly(monocyclopentyl itaconate) (PMCPI) and poly(monocyclohexyl itaconate) (PMCHI), were synthesized and characterized. Polymers were fractionated, by fractional precipitation, using methanol-water as solvent-precipitant pair. Fractions were characterized by membrane osmometry in 2-propanol at 298 K, vapor pressure osmometry in methanol at 318 K, size exclusion chromatography in THF, and by viscometry in THF and methanol. The Kuhn-Mark-Houwink-Sakurada equations were established to determine the viscometric parameters. By using the Stockmayer-Fixman equation, the conformational parameter K_θ was determined in both solvents. The rigidity index, a, and the characteristic ratio, C∞, were calculated. These polymers show high rigidity values but they are comparable with those reported for other poly (itaconates).