ACID-PROMOTED ELECTRON-TRANSFER TO FACILITATE OXIDATIVE POLYMERIZATION OF DIARYL DISULFIDES

A catalytic amount of Lewis acids ([Lewis acid]/[Disulfide]=1/200) fac ilitated electron transfer from diaryl disulfides to a stoichiometric amount of another oxidizing agent by which linear poly[thio(1,4-arylen e)] was produced. Such Lewis acids as SbCl5 and FeCl3 facilitated oxid ation of diphenyl disulfide by quinones more efficiently than protic a cids such as CF3COOH, where the Lewis acid showed more than 200-fold m ore activity than the protic acid. Oxovanadium complex-catalyzed oxyge n-oxidation of disulfides was also facilitated by these Lewis acids. T he catalysis of these Lewis acids includes not only the activation of quinones or the oxovanadium complex, but also the lowering of the oxid ation potential of the monomers.