Synthesis of Poly(decahydro-2-naphthyl methacrylate)s with Different Geometric Structures and Effects of Side-Group Dynamics on Polymer Properties Investigated by Thermal and Dynamic Mechanical Analyses and DFT Calculations

We prepared the geometric isomers of decahydro-2-naphthols as the source materials for the synthesis of poly­(decahydro-2-naphthyl methacrylate)­s [poly­(DNMA)-I, -II, -III, and -IV] including alicyclic ester groups with different geometric structures. The geometry and conformational dynamics of the decahydro-2-naphthyl moieties were investigated by NMR spectroscopy and DFT calculations. We synthesized each isomer of the methacrylic monomers, polymerized them, and investigated the optical, thermal, and mechanical properties of poly­(DNMA)­s with different isomer compositions. The Tg values of the poly­(DNMA)­s were in the following order: 139.3 °C for poly­(DNMA)-II 3/g, 1.489, and 42–44, respectively.