HOMOGENEOUS CATALYTIC-HYDROGENATION OF NATURAL-RUBBER USING RHCL(PPH3)(3)

Hydrogenation is an important method of chemical modification, which i mproves the physical, chemical, and thermal properties of diene elasto mers. It is also a useful method for preparation of polymers with unus ual monomer sequences. Natural rubber (NR) could be quantitatively hyd rogenated to a strictly alternating ethylene-propylene copolymer using a homogeneous RhCl(PPh3)(3) catalyst. The effect of concentration of rubber, catalyst and triphenyl phosphine, temperature, pressure, and s olvent on the course of hydrogenation were evaluated. The thermal prop erties of the hydrogenated NR are compared with NR. (C) 1997 John Wile y & Sons, Inc.