METALATION AND FUNCTIONALIZATION OF POLY[ BIS(DIMETHYLVINYLSILYL)METHANE]

Metalation of poly [bis(dimethylvinylsilyl)methane] (poly(BVSM)), whic h contains six-membered ring as a repeating cyclic unit, was investiga ted by using several metalating systems. It was found that the metalat ion, the proton abstraction from the methylene group at the ct-positio n of two silicon atoms by a metalating reagent, occurred with sec-buty llithium (sec-BuLi)/potassium tert-butoxide (tert-BuOK) (1 : 1 mol/mol ) in THF at similar to 78 degrees C and that methylene protons in 40 s imilar to 50% of BVSM units underwent the metalation. The degree of me talation was little influenced by the difference in the molecular weig ht of poly(BVSM) in the range of 2400 to 16000. A two-fold molar quant ity of sec-BuLi/tert-BuOK to BVSM units was sufficient for the metalat ion of poly(BVSM). Dimethylvinylsilyl and chloromethyldimethylsilyl gr oups were introduced into the polymer through further chemical convers ions of the resulting polyanion.