THE USE OF PLATINUM AND RHODIUM CATALYSTS FOR THE PREPARATION AND CATIONIC RING-OPENING POLYMERIZATION OF SILICON-CONTAINING EPOXIDES

Regioselective platinum and rhodium catalysts were employed for the pr eparation of novel silicon-containing polyethers. First, silicon-conta ining monomers bearing cycloaliphatic epoxy groups were prepared by a rhodium-catalyzed regioselective hydrosilation. Then these monomers we re polymerized using a platinum-catalyzed, cationic, ring-opening poly merization to give the linear polyethers. The obtained polyethers were compared with polymers prepared by photoinitiated cationic ring-openi ng polymerization using onium salt photoinitiators and found to be ide ntical.