SYNTHESIS OF POLYMERS BEARING MONOTHIO-ORTHOESTER GROUPS USING A DIRECT ROUTE FROM DITHIOESTER-CONTAINING MONOMERS AND POLYMERS

Reaction of excess sodium alkoxides with aromatic (non-enethiolisable) dithioesters followed by in situ alkylation offers a high-yield direc t synthetic route to monothio-orthoesters. When applied to previously described monomers, polymers and copolymers containing dithioester gro ups, this method provides a direct access to the corresponding monomer s, polymers and copolymers in which monothio-orthoesters are present. [(Methylthio) dimethoxymethyl]-4-vinyl benzene [obtained from methyl ( 4-vinyl benzene) dithiocarboxylate] undergoes convenient free radical homo- and co-polymerizations. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.