Kinetic aspects of the copolymerization of tetrahydrofuran with propylene oxide. Part II

Abstract

The cationic copolymerization of tetrahydrofuran with propylene oxide was carried out in the presence of boron fluoride etherate, 1,2‐propanediol, and ethylene chloride, used as catalyst–cocatalyst–solvent system. Reactions were carried out in the −40 to +20°C. temperature range, at atmospheric pressure. The influence of various other parameters on the composition and structure of the copolyetherdiols obtained has been studied. Kinetic data, including energies of activation (E) and frequency factors (A) for the comonomer (THF and PO) consumptions and data on the molecular weights and the per cent yields of the copolyetherdiols obtained are reported.

Polypropylene Glycol-Polyoxytetramethylene Glycol Multiblock Copolymers with High Molecular Weight: Synthesis, Characterization, and Silanization

“…Generally, these copolymers, especially PPO-PTMG multiblock copolymers, possess a medium molecular weight (2000–4000 Dalton) [11,12]. This condition results from the fact that the further chain propagation of copolymers is inhibited by the low ring opening reactivity of tetrahydrofurane [13,14,15] and the chain transfer of cationic ring opening polymerization [16]. Hence, these methods show no difference from the traditional approach of chain extension in obtaining a high molecular weight ( M n > 10 4 Dalton) of PU or poly(ether ester) products [17,18].…”

Kinetics of the Synthesis of Polystrene Glycols

“…To fill this need, and also to complement similar studies (Baijal and Blanchard, 1968;Blanchard and Baijal, 1967;Blanchard et al, 1966) on tetrahydrofuran-propylene oxide (which are in an advanced stage in this laboratory), a project on the cationic polymerization of styrene oxide was pursued. Kinetic and molecular characterizations of this system are discussed in this paper.…”