Title:A Simple and Reusable Polyaniline Catalyst for the Ring-opening Polymerization of Tetrahydrofuran
Volume: 3
Issue: 4
Author(s): Rajender Boddula and Palaniappan Srinivasan*
Affiliation:
- Polymers & Functional Materials Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology Tarnaka, Uppal Road, Hyderabad - 500 007 Telangana State,India
Keywords:
Polymer supported catalyst, biodegardable polymer, recyclable, green chemistry.
Abstract: Background: Polyaniline salts like polyaniline-sulfate (PANI-H2SO4), polyanilinehydrochloride
(PANI-HCl), and polyaniline-phosphate (PANI-H3PO4) are swimmingly revealed
as heterogeneous polymer supported catalysts for the polymerization of tetrahydrofuran to produce
polytetramethylene ether glycol (PTMG).
Method: Polymerization of tetrahydrofuran by ring-opening in acetic anhydride environment using
the pint-sized PANI catalyst at room temperature for 2 h resulted in the product, PTMG in the
order: PANI-H2SO4 (35%) > PANI-HCl (30%) > PANI-H3PO4 (20%). The molecular weight of
PTMG synthesized by PANI-H2SO4, PANI-HCl and PANI-H3PO4 catalysts are found to be 2244,
2034 and 2019 respectively.
Conclusion: These catalysts could be easily handled and reused. This approach gives phylloclade
stem leaf-like morphology of highly crystalline polymer. Privileges of this method are reuasble,
cheaper, user friendly synthesis, and eco-friendly nature of the catalyst.