POLY(ETHER-CARBONATE)S FROM 5-MEMBERED CYCLIC CARBONATES AND OXIRANES

Studies on the reactions of oxiranes with various carbonates (cyclic a nd linear, aliphatic and aromatic) in the presence of BF3 . Et(2)O are presented. The reaction mechanism is proposed. It was found that poly (ether-carbonate) is formed not only as the product of polymerization of spiroorthocarbonate but mainly directly from oxirane and cyclic car bonate. Spiroorthocarbonate is one of the possible reaction products o f trioxocarbenium ion - the product of its cyclization. It was shown t hat as a result of the copolymerization of epichlorohydrin with ethyle ne carbonate initiated by BF3 . Et(2)O poly(ether-carbonate) containin g of about 10 % of units originated from ethylene carbonate and 4-chlo romethyl-1,3-dioxolan-2-one was obtained.