Abstract
m-Aminostyrene has been synthesised, by a known route, from acetophenone. This monomeir has been, homopolymerised and copolymerised with styrene by means of 2,2'-azoisobutyronitrile, as the initiator, at two concentrations (0.2 and 0.4% on the weight of the monomers). The polymeric amines have been characterised by intrinsic viscosity determinations in aniline. The polymeric amines have been converted to their respective diazonium chlorides, which have been obtained in homogeneous solution in acidic aqueous methanol, and thereafter the kinetics of their decomposition, at 29.8°, have been studied. The rate-constants of the decomposition of the polymeric diazonium cations in acidic aqueous methanol with those of benzene- and m-cumene-diazonium cations in similar solution have been compared in order to assess the contribution of the chain structure of the polymeric diazonium compounds to the rate of decomposition, and to ascertain whether any specifically macromolecular reactivity . factors operate in the decomposition of polymeric diazonium cations. A number of standard diazonium replacement reactions have been effected with the polymeric amines, resulting in the introduction of chlorine, bromine and iodine atoms and thiol groups. The structures of the replacement products have been tentatively discussed.