4-Vinylbenzyl chloride

4-Vinylbenzyl chloride (VBC) is commonly used as a monomer that belongs to the class of aryl chlorides and contains both a vinyl group (CH₂=CH-) and a benzyl chloride group (C₆H₄CH₂Cl) in its structure. It is used as a reactive building block in various polymerization reactions to synthesize different types of polymers with excellent thermal stability, chemical resistance and good film-forming properties. It is commonly utilized in the production of resins, coatings, adhesives, and ion-exchange resins. It offers versatility in polymer synthesis, allowing for the introduction of desired functionalities into polymers.

It is also:

• A component of ion exchange resins, photo-resist polymers, cross-linkable fibers, coupling agents and electroconducting polymers.
• Starter for various copolymer preparations.
• Dual functional monomer. Readily derivatized by chloride displacement.

4-Vinylbenzyl chloride can be used as a monomer to synthesize:

• The hypercross-linked polymer for supercapacitor applications. Incorporation of 4-vinyl benzyl chloride contributes to the formation of a porous structure and specific surface area which facilitate efficient electrolyte ion diffusion and provide ample sites for charge storage, leading to enhanced electrochemical performance.
• The polymeric thin films by the matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) technique. The resulting polymeric thin films can exhibit non-linear optical effects such as optical second harmonic generation, electro-optic modulation, or optical frequency conversion. These properties make them suitable for various applications in non-linear optic devices.