HYDROLYSIS CHEMISTRY OF THE CHLOROPHOSPHAZENE CYCLIC TRIMER

The hydrolysis chemistry of the chlorophosphazene (phosphonitrile chloride) cyclic trimer has long been of interest because of its possible relevance to polymerization catalysis, as well as the undesirable role of water in the cross-linking of poly(dichloro-phosphazene). Hydrolysis of the trimer in THF solutions has been followed through the first 3 equiv of water by using 31P NMR as the primary analytical tool. A total of seven products were identified, at least one of which has been previously proposed as a polymerization catalyst. Two of the species are oxo-bridged dimers of two trimer rings that may be useful as model compounds for hydrolytic cross-linking reactions in the polymer. © 1990, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.