Thermal Degradation of Polymers. III. Thermal Degradation of a Compound Which Models the Head-to-Head Linkage in Poly(Methyl Methacrylate)

Abstract

As a model for a poly(methyl methacrylate ) chain which contains a head-to-head unit, the thermal degradation of tetramethyl 2,4,5,7-tetramethyloctane-2,4,5,7-tetracarboxylate has been studied. The meso compound degraded at 210� to give seven products which have been characterized by spectroscopic techniques and synthesized by unambiguous routes. The products resulted from reactions which followed thermal rupture of the central C-C bond of the model compound, thus supporting the proposal that head-to-head units are important in the thermal degradation of poly(methyl methacrylate ).