ABSTRACT
One approach to obtaining controlled release pesticide formulations that contain a high percentage of pesticide has been the synthesis of polymers that contain pesticides as pendent substituents. The facility with which pesticides can be converted to polymerizable derivatives depends to a large extent on their functionality. The polymerizations are also usually exothermic, which can lead to problems with heat control. In fact, bulk polymerizations of vinyl monomers are seldom carried out with large amounts of material due to the danger of explosions. The solvent, which must be carefully selected so as not to interfere with the polymerization, is used to take up the heat of polymerization by a rise in temperature or by vaporization. A synthetic polymer containing a terrestrial herbicide has been prepared by the partial acylation of poly(vinyl alcohol) with 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetyl chloride. Pentachlorophenyl methacrylate has been prepared by the reaction of pentachlorophenol with methacryloyl chloride.
