POLY(VINYLBENZO MACROCYCLIC POLYETHERS) - SYNTHESIS AND CATION BINDING-PROPERTIES OF 12-CROWN-4 DERIVATIVES

The synthesis of 4'-vinylbenzo-12-crown-4 ether is reported. Polymerization to relatively low molecular weight polymers can be accomplished with a free radical initiator. A copolymer with styrene can be prepared and the Li+, Na+, and K+ binding properties of these polymers are compared to those of their monomeric analogs using salt distribution equilibria in water - methylene chloride. For all cations the homopolymer is found to extract the salts from the aqueous phase most effectively. The copolymer is slightly less effective than the homopolymer but more effective than either of the monomers by a factor of approximately 7, indicating that cooperative binding is likely, Na+ is the most efficiently extracted cation, followed by K+ and Li+.