Homo- and copolymerization of 2-benzothiazoylacrylamide with α-methyl styrene and methyl acrylate: synthesis, characterization and reactivity

2-benzothiazolyl acrylamide (BTA) monomer was synthesized by reacting of 2-aminobenzothiazole with acryloyl chloride. Homo- and copolymerization of this monomer with α-methylstyrene (MSt) and methyl acrylate (MA) was carried out in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) solution. The prepared homo-and copolymers were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and their thermal stability was studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The composition of copolymers and the reactivity coefficients (r1, r2) were determined on the basis of sulfur analysis using linearization methods proposed by Fineman-Ross and Kelen-Tudos and the Mayo-Lewis intersection method. The derived (r1, r2) for BTA-co-MSt and BTA-co-MA are: (0.197, 0.230) and (0.294, 4.314), respectively. The microstructure of the copolymers and the distribution of the monomer sequences in the copolymers were calculated statistically, the results obtained are consistent with the values (r1, r2). BTA with MSt form alternative copolymer whilst BTA-co-MA tends to be block with MA.