Internal friction in stereoregular polymethyl methacrylate

Abstract

New stereospecific polymerization systems for methyl methacrylate are reported. The temperature dependence of the internal friction of the stereoregular forms of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) has been determined at frequencies of ca. 1 cycle/sec. Isotactic PMMA does not exhibit a side chain relaxation and its main chain relaxation is 66°C. lower than that of conventional PMMA. Syndiotactic PMMA exhibits exactly the same relaxations as conventional PMMA. Since the density and infrared absorption spectra of syndiotactic and conventional PMMA are also comparable and differ from the isotactic form, it is concluded that conventional radical‐initiated polymer is not truly atactic but has considerable syndiotactic character.