CATIONIC OLIGOMERIZATION OF STYRENE BY SOLID ACIDS .2. OLIGOMERIZATION OF STYRENE CATALYZED BY PERFLUORINATED RESINSULFONIC ACID (NAFION-H)

In the cationic oligomerization of styrene by a solid superacid (Perfluorinated Resinsulfonic Acid&and&and#x0023;x003A; Nafion-H) and by the corresponding soluble superacid (CFSOH), the reactivity of the catalysts and molecular-weight distribution of the products were compared. Oligomers composed of dimer to hexamer were produced with Nafion-H, whereas a linear dimer was mainly obtained with CFSOH in nonpolar solvents at 50—70°C. As a superacid solid catalyst, Nafion-H had the following characteristics&and&and#x0023;x003A; (1) retention of the catalytic activity on repeated reaction and the absence of a limiting yield; (2) higher activity than that of a conventional poly(styrenesulfonic acid) resin; (3) virtual absence of solvent effects on the reaction rate and the product composition; and (4) formation of Friedel–Crafts adducts between styrene and an aromatic solvent. © 1979 The Society of Polymer Science, Japan.