Abstract

Copolymers containing vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTMOS) and 2-vinylpyridine (2VPy) at different compositions were synthesized and characterized. The monomer reactivity ratios r1 and r2 were estimated by using the classical Fineman-Ross and Kelen Tudos linear fitting procedures. Moreover, these parameters were also estimated using a nonlinear computational fitting known as Reactivity Ratios Error in Variable Method (RREVM). Attempts to obtain the corresponding copolymer with vinyltrimethylsilane (VTMS) were performed but only hompolymerization 2VPy is observed due to the non-reactivity of VTMS under this conditions. The results were analysed in terms of the relative comonomeric structures and compared with similar related systems. The reactivities are interpreted in terms of the resonance and stabilization effects together with the chemical structure. © Springer-Verlag 1999.