SYNTHESIS AND PROPERTIES OF POLY[3-CHLOROMETHYL-3-(1,1,2,2-TETRAHYDRO-PERFLUORO-OCTYL-OXY)METHYL OXETANE]

The synthesis of poly[3-chloromethyl-3-(1,1,2,2-tetrahydro-perfluoro-octyl-oxy)methyl oxetane] has been performed in four steps. Chlorination of pentaerythritol produced a mixture of halogenated alcohols, which, in an alkaline medium, led to a mixture of hydroxylated and chlorinated oxetanes. Of these, the bis(3-chloromethyl) oxetane (BCMO) was etherified with C6F13C2H4OH via phase-transfer catalysis to yield the mono- and di-substituted fluorinated oxetanes. In a last step, the mono-substituted oxetane was cationically polymerized using BF3O.Et(2) as the catalyst, and was characterized by H-1 and C-13 NMR spectroscopy. Finally, several physical properties have been determined such as the viscosity, glass transition and decomposition temperatures, and surface properties.