Effets Des Rayons Gamma Sur Les Poly‐2‐ Et −4‐Vinylpyridmes

Abstractγ‐Irradiated poly‐2‐vinylpyridine (2‐PVP) and poly‐4‐vinylpyridine (4‐PVP) become crosslinked and partially insoluble. The G value for crosslinking has been determined for atactic (0.27) and isotactic (0.65) 2‐PVP and for atactic 4‐PVP (0.33). The results are compared with published data on polystyrene. ESR spectra of irradiated 2‐PVP and 4‐PVP suggest that a cyclohexadienyl type radical is formed, as in polystyrene. A chain reaction involving direct intramolecular hydrogen transfer is proposed to explain the experimental results.