derivatives of vinyl alcohol. Vinyl alcohol is not produced in the free state, since at the moment of formation it isomerizes to acetaldehyde. Both simple vinyl ethers, CH2=CHOR (I), and complex vinyl ethers, CH2=CH—OCOR (II), are known. These compounds are formed by the vinylation of alcohols and carboxylic acids:
Vinyl ethers are colorless liquids, only slightly soluble in water but readily soluble in organic solvents. For vinyl methyl ether, Tb = 5.5° C, and its density at 20° C is 0.772 g/cm3; for vinyl ethyl ether, Tb = 36° C, and its density at 20° C is 0.753 g/cm3; and so on. The best-known complex ether is vinyl acetate. Vinyl ethers are chemically active compounds, which readily add halogens, halogen hydrides, and other substances. Hydrolysis of (I) yields acetaldehyde and the corresponding alcohol, and hydrolysis of (II) yields acetaldehyde and carboxylic acid:
The most important property of vinyl ethers is their ability to polymerize and copolymerize.
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