Radical polymerization of N-vinylcaprolactam in homogeneous solution. II

The polymerization of N-vinylcaprolactam in toluene, dioxane, chlorobenzene, dimethylformamide, and ethylene carbonate with various peroxides, perbenzoates and azobisisobutyronitrile as initiators at 60–80°C, was studied. Under these conditions azobisisobutyronitrile and tert-butyl perbenzoate have satisfactory activity as initiators. Under these conditions N-vinylcaprolactam polymerization in homogeneous solution is first order towards the monomer and 0.5 order towards the initiators.