CATIONIC COPOLYMERIZATION OF DIVINYL ETHERS WITH VINYL ETHER - SYNTHESIS AND CATION-BINDING PROPERTY OF COPOLYMER WITH BENZO-19-CROWN-6 UNITS

Copolymerizations of 1,2-bis(2-vinyloxyethoxy)benzene (BVEB) and 1,2-bis[2-(2-vinyloxyethoxy)ethoxy]benzene (BVEEB) with isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE) were carried out with BF3.OEt2, SnCl4, and I2 in dichloromethane, nitroethane, and toluene. The copolymers obtained were gel-free and did not contain any residual vinyloxy groups though the excess amount of IBVE in monomer feed such as the [IBVE]/[BVEB] ratio of 9. The copolymerization parameters were r1=1.09 and r2=0.86 for BVEB (M1)-IBVE (M2), and r1=1.23 and r2=0.92 for BVEEB (M1)-IBVE (M2). The copolymers consisting of BVEEB and IBVE, i.e., poly[(benzo-19-crown-6)-co-IBVE]s, showed the cation-binding property as K+, Rb+, and Cs+ much greater than Li+ and Na+, regardless of the mole fraction of the crown ether unit.