A green chemistry of the polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and a new copolymer of propylene oxide (PO) using natural catalysts

The development of sustainable polymerization methods is essential for promoting green chemistry and minimizing environmental impact. This manuscript discusses the polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA), which resulted in a number-average molecular weight of $\overline{M_n}=52400g/\text{mol}$ and polydispersity of $I_p=1.4$, using a natural anionic catalyst. The yield of the polymerization is influenced by the ratio of Maghnite-Na + to monomer weight and the duration of the reaction. A yield of 65% was achieved with a maghnite-Na+/monomer weight ratio of 10% after 8 h of polymerizing methyl methacrylateMMA. Additionally, a new copolymer of propylene oxide (PO) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) was synthesized through cationic polymerization. This copolymerization was conducted in bulk at a temperature of 20 °C. The yield of the copolymerization depends on the amount of maghnite-H⁺ used and the length of the reaction time. This modification provides a nontoxic and effective proton source for the cationic polymerization of various vinylic and heterocyclic monomers. The highest yield of the copolymer was obtained using Algerian montmorillonite modified with 0.25 M H₂SO₄. The structures of the synthesized products were confirmed through ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis.