Copolymerization of N-vinylcaprolactam with N-vinyl(benz)imidazoles and the properties of aqueous solutions of the copolymers

The free-radical solution copolymerization of N-vinylcaprolactam with 1-vinylimidazole, 1-vinyl-2-methylimidazole, 1-vinyl-2-methyl-3-propylimidazolium iodide, or 1-vinyl-2-methylbenzimidazole was investigated and the monomer reactivity ratios in the copolymerization were calculated. It was shown that 1-vinylimidazole exhibits a relatively higher activity in the copolymerization as compared to the monomers that bear substituents on the ring. It was established that, except for the copolymers of 1-vinyl-2-methylbenzimidazole, water-soluble products could be obtained. Aqueous solutions of N-vinylcaprolactam copolymers with N-vinyl(methyl)imidazoles were found to have a higher phase separation temperature relative to poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) solutions. The thermal stability of the aqueous solutions increases with a rise in the amount of hydrophilic 1-vinyl-and 1-vinyl-2-methylimidazole units in macromolecular chains and in the presence of NaCNS or KBr. The effect of salts on the thermal stability of aqueous copolymer solutions has the same character as in the case of the N-vinylcaprolactam homopolymer.