OXYETHYLENE COPOLYMERS WITH CHLOROMETHYL AND (ALKYLTHIO)METHYL OR (ALKYLSULFONYL)METHYL SIDE-GROUPS - SYNTHESES AND T-G COMPOSITION RELATIONSHIPS/

New classes of copolymers, poly[oxy( chloromethyl) ethylene]/poly[oxy( (alkylthio) methyl) ethylene] copolymers (CE-ATEs), poly[oxy((alkylthi o)methyl)ethylene]s (ATEs), poly[ oxy( chloromethyl) ethylene] /poly[o xy(( alkylsulfonyl) methyl)ethylene] copolymers (CE-ASEs), and poly[ox y(( alkylsulfonyl) methyl) ethylene]s (ASEs) have been made for the fi rst time. The thioether-containing polymers (CE-ATEs and ATEs) were sy nthesized by reacting poly[oxy( chloromethyl) ethylene] (CE, poly( epi chlorohydrin)) with different amounts of sodium alkanethiolates. The s ulfone-containing polymers (CE-ASEs and ASEs) were synthesized by oxid izing the CE-ATEs and ATEs using m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid. The Fox e quation, a linear relationship, fit the T-g/composition data for most CE-ATEs. The T-g's of the CE-ASEs showed positive deviations from thos e calculated using the Fox equation. The Johnston equation, in which s teric and/or polar interactions between dissimilar monomeric units are considered by using T-gAB (the T-g of the AB or BA dyad), fit the T-g /composition data for all copolymers in this study. (C) 1998 John Wile y & Sons, Inc.