Functional Polymers. III. Endcapping and Substitution on Polymers with Compounds Containing Ultraviolet-Absorbing Groups

Abstract

Endcapping of oligo(oxyethylene) glycols was carried out by transesterification of methyl N,N-dimethylaminobenzoate with sodium methoxide as the catalyst or by the reaction of sodium salicylate with the ditosyl ester of the oligo(oxyethyl-ene) glycols. Several other common reactions were tried for the endcapping of the oligo(oxyethylene) glycols but were found to be either more cumbersome or unsuccessful. All products were obtained in high yield and high purity. The reactions of tetraalkylammonium carboxylates with aliphatic halides were found to be very general and mild reactions for the preparation of esters in high yield and high purity. It was found that these reactions could be utilized for the preparation of esters on polymers even if the carboxylate group was directly attached to the polymer chain. It was also demonstrated that the aliphatic halide group could be on the polymer, as in the case of polyepichlorohydrin. Copolymers of epichlorohydrin and glycidyl N,N-dimethylaminobenzoate with up to 90% glycidyl benzoate as the comonomer were prepared, and poly(tetra-butylammonium methacrylate) was effectively transformed with 4-(2-bromoethoxy)-2-hydroxybenzophenone into the corresponding ester. The products were characterized by the usual spectral means.