Gold(III) fluorosulfate as an initiator of the polymerization

Abstract

AbstractGold(III) fluorosulfate was shown to have potential for initiating the polymerization and graft copolymerization of tetrahydrofuran (THF) and similar monomers at room temperature. Addition to THF of either gold(III) fluorosulfate or of gold(III) fluorosulfate and acetyl chloride (a model for a reactive polymer backbone) led to high yields (60–70%) of polytetrahydrofuran. IR, NMR, HPLC, and other studies were used to determine the mechanism of initiation in each case. They showed that in the absence of halide, the gold salt led to hydrogen abstraction from THF and formation of protonic acid, which then initiated polymerization. In the presence of halide, concurrent initiation due to the formation of tertiary oxonium ion by acetylation occurred. Gold(III) chloride precipitated simultaneously.