Abstract The quantitative synthesis and complete characterization of 1,2‐bis( p ‐vinylphenyl)ethane ( p , p ‐BVPE) and its meta‐, para‐mixed isomers are reported. These crosslinkers copolymerize randomly with p ‐methylstyrene, leading to random crosslink distributions. The crosslinkers are prepared by Grignard coupling of ( m , p )‐vinylbenzyl chloride in tetrahydrofuran at low temperature to give the statistical mixture of m , m ‐, m , p ‐, and p , p ‐isomers in quantitative yield. Pure p ‐vinylbenzyl chloride is converted to pure p , p ‐BVPE. p , p ‐BVPE has also been separated from the mixture of isomers. The isomers are characterized by elemental analysis, mass spectrometry, 1 H‐NMR, and 13 C‐NMR and by reversed‐phase HPLC. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
