Preparation of homo-, co- and terpolymers of substituted styrenes

Abstract

A novel one-pot cost efficient process for the preparation of homo-, co- and terpolymers of p-hydroxystyrene or substituted p-hydroxystyrene and alkyl acrylates. The process involves polymerization of esters of p-hydroxystyrene (or its substituted analogs), alkyl acrylate monomers and/or one or more of ethylenically unsaturated monomers in an alcohol solvent in the presence of a free radical initiator. The reaction mixture containing the so formed polymer is subjected to transesterification conditions using a catalytic amount of catalyst to result in co- and/or terpolymers of p-hydroxystyrene without cleavage of the alkyl ester in the acrylate repeat unit, and then removing the catalyst from the system. Preferred embodiments include homopolymers of p-hydroxystyrene, copolymer of p-hydroxystyrene and tert-butyl acrylate and terpolymer of p-hydroxystyrene, tert-butyl acrylate and styrene. These polymers have a wide variety of applications including as photoresists in microelectronics industry.