Chemical modification of polystyrene under phase transfer catalysis

Abstract

Styrene polymers containing pendant p-vinyl or p-oxirane functionalities on some of their aromatic rings have been prepared in excellent yields by chemical modification of chloromethylated polystyrene or carboxaldehyde-substituted polystyrene under phase transfer catalysis. The polymers containing pendant vinyl groups were obtained by Wittig reactions with aqueous formaldehyde while the polymers with p-oxirane pendant groups were obtained by reaction of the carboxaldehyde polymer with trimethyl sulfonium chloride or epoxidation of the p-vinyl substituted polymer.