Novel partially fluorinated copolymers. An evidence of the effect of fluorine on the reactivity of the unfluorinated co-monomer units

A conventional free-radical polymerization of vinyl or propenyl ethers with acrylic or methacrylic monomers with fluorine substitution either in the main chain or in the ester groups has permitted us to obtain a series of copolymers with substantially different fluorine contents and distributions to be obtained. Such copolymers were considered as model compounds to offer new valuable insights as to the influence of fluorinated moieties on the overall stability and, more specifically, on their reactivity with atmospheric oxygen under environmental-like conditions. Depending on the relative position of the fluorine atoms with respect to the common active center of oxidation, the influence ranges from a simple slowing down of the process to a complete redirection towards an otherwise secondary mechanism of oxidation.