Synthesis and regeneration of reactive polymers bearing triphenylphosphine dichloride functional groups using triphosgene

A new methodology is described for the synthesis of reactive polymers bearing triphenylphosphine dichloride groups by the use of triphosgene. These materials show high reactivity for the room temperature conversion of benzyl alcohol to benzyl chloride. In one hour, yields higher than 90% were achieved using reactive copolymers with up to 25 w% divinylbenzene (DVB). The functional groups can be easily and efficiently regenerated using 1.0 mol of triphosgene for every 2.6 moles of phosphine in the polymer. Preliminary results showed up to 40% conversion of benzyl alcohol in column reactions using regenerated polymers at 5 to 10 min contact times.