13C-NMR Characterization of Polymers from 2,2,2-Trifluoroethyl-Methacrylate

In an attempt to develop structural characterisation of polymers from fluorinated acrylic derivatives, a detailed C-13 NMR analysis of free radical and anionic poly(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl methacrylate) (poly(TFEM)) was performed as compared to relevant literature studies concerning the corresponding methyl methacrylate (MMA) polymers. On the other side, the moderately syndiotactic microstructure of the poly(TFEM) samples fits very well with that of corresponding poly(MMA) samples and can be interpreted on the basis of the same statistical distribution of triads. Thus it appears that the presence of the -CH2-CF3 group does not affect in a determining way the stereochemistry of the polymerization. According to this final statement, anionic initiators give prevailingly isotactic poly(TFEM) as detected by C-13 NMR.