OPTICALLY-ACTIVE DIMETHYLSILOXANE COPOLYMERS WITH NUCLEOPHILIC CHIRALSULFUR GROUPS PENDANT TO THE POLYSILOXANE CHAIN

Polydimethylsiloxanes with part of the siloxane units bearing an optic ally active sulfoxide group were synthesized. These copolymers had chi ral sulfur centres connected to the siloxane chain by a dimethylene br idge. They were obtained mostly by the kinetically controlled anionic ring-opening polymerization of 1-(2-organothioethyl) 1,3,3,5,5-pentame thylcyclotrisiloxanes, followed by stereoselective oxidation of prochi ral groups to yield partially enantiomeric sulfoxide groups. Sulfoxide s bearing cyclic monomers were also used. Polymers were characterized by spectroscopy and polarimetry. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.