Poly(ethylene glycol)s catalyzed homogeneous dehydrochlorination of poly(vinyl chloride) with potassium hydroxide

Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) can be extensively dehydrochlorinated by KOH at room temperature in a mixed homogeneous medium of tetrahydrofuran (TI-IF) a nd poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) with a number average molar mass greater tha n 200 g mol(-1). PEGs act as solubility promoters for the base and highly a ctive catalyst for the reaction. The structure of dehydrochlorinated PVC (D PVC) has been studied by elemental analysis, UV/visible, FT-infrarcd, FT-Ra man and X-ray photon electron spectroscopies. Experimental results demonstr ated that the reaction was nearly finished within 1 h and had a conversion of 84-98%. DPVCs have high concentrations of long polyene sequences and can be doped by iodine. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.