POLYMERIZATION OF P-CHLOROPHENYL PROPARGYL ETHER BY MOLYBDENUM-BASED AND TUNGSTEN-BASED CATALYSTS

The Polymerization of p-chlorophenyl propargyl ether (CPE) was carried out using various transition metal catalysts. The catalytic activity of MoCl5-based catalysts was greater than that of WCl6-based catalysts . MoCl5 alone and MoCl5-cocatalyst systems polymerized CPE very effect ively to give a high yield of poly(CPE). In most cases, the polymer yi eld was quantitative and the average molecular weight (MnBAR) was in t he range of 9,000 and 17,000. The NMR, IR, UV-visible spectra indicate d that the present poly(CPE) has a linear conjugated polyene structure having p-chlorophenyl oxymethylene substituent. The poly(CPE) was mos tly dark-brown colored powder and was completely soluble in various or ganic solvents such as chloroform, methylene chloride, THF, chlorobenz ene, etc. The X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that the present po ly(CPE) is amorphous.