Synthesis of 4-tert-butyldimethylsilyloxystyrene and its copolymerization with styrene using (eta(5)-indenyl)trichlorotitanium in the presence of methylaluminoxane

Poly(styrene-co-4-tert-butyldimethylsilyloxystyrene) as a precursor of hydr oxyl-functionalized syndiotactic polystyrene was successfully synthesized v ia (eta(15)-indenyl)trichlorotitanium (IndTiCl(3))-catalyzed copolymerizati on of styrene with 4-tert-butyldimethylsilyloxystyrene in toluene at 25 deg rees C in the presence of methylaluminoxane (MAO) ([A1]/[Ti] = 2000). The a mount of styrene derivative incorporated into the polymeric chain for a 20, 7:1 mole feed ratio of styrene to 4-tert-butyldimethylsilyloxystyrene was f ound to be 1,8 mol-% from a H-1 NMR analysis. The styrene derivative was su ccessfully prepared from 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde via first protecting the hyd roxyl group using tert-butyldimethylchlorosilane followed by the 'Wittig-ty pe' reaction with the 'Tebbe' reagent. The yield was about 82 wt.-% on the basis of the initial amount of 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde used.