Syntheses and characterization of maleic anhydride–styrene–allyl propionate terpolymer ester derivatives

In this study, maleic anhydride (MA)–styrene (St)–allyl propionate (AP) was produced with MA, St, and AP. It was then reacted with n-propyl alcohol (Pr), n-butyl alcohol (Bu), n-pentyl alcohol (Pn), and benzyl alcohol (Bz) under certain conditions to produce ester derivatives of the terpolymer. These ester derivatives were designated alkyl maleate terpolymers (PrMA–St–AP, BuMA–St–AP, PnMA–St–AP, and BzMA–St–AP). The polymers were investigated by solubility and viscosity experiments, with the number of ester groups in the polymers determined by chemical analysis. They were also characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, with thermomechanical properties measured via stress–strain curves. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 89: 296–299, 2003