ASYMMETRIC-SYNTHESIS POLYMERIZATION OF MESO OXIRANES AND THIIRANES

The asymmetric synthesis polymerization or "enantiogenic" polymerization of some meso oxiranes, cis-dimethyloxirane (cis-DMO) and cyclohexene oxide (CHO), and thiiranes, cis-dimethylthiirane (cis-DMT) and cyclohexene sulfide (CHS), initiated with different chiral systems was examined. Strong differences in behaviour were observed between oxiranes and thiiranes depending on the initiator used. The initiators based on ZnEt2 or CdMe2 and a chiral diol give optically active polymers from meso thiiranes but fail to induce an asymmetric polymer synthesis with meso oxiranes. A new chiral initiator based on ZnEt2 and (IS,2R)-ephedrine allowed us to prepare optically active poly CHOs, which can be fractionated into fractions exhibiting opposite optical activities.