Graft copolymers from thiolated starch and vinyl monomers

Abstract

AbstractThiol starches of degree of substitution (D.S.) 0.005–0.162 were prepared by displacing starch tosyloxy groups with xanthate and treating the resulting xanthate esters with either sodium hydroxide or sodium borohydride. Acrylonitrile, styrene, acrylamide, acrylic acid, and dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate were grafted onto the thiol starches with hydrogen peroxide as initiator. The peroxide caused both grafting of monomer and coupling of thiol groups to disulfide. Treating graft copolymers with sodium borohydride regenerated thiol groups from disulfide groups so that the grafting sequence could be repeated. By regenerating the thiol groups and repeating the grafting steps, high add‐on and high‐frequency starch graft copolymers were prepared. During four grafting sequences, acrylonitrile reacted with D.S. 0.162 thiol starch to give graft copolymers that contained increasing amounts of polyacrylonitrile (46.0–66.5%). Grafting frequency increased from 183 to 71 anhydroglucose units (AGU)/graft, while molecular weights of the grafted chains ranged between 20,000 and 25,200. The final product was hydrolyzed with potassium hydroxide solution to a copolymer, which absorbed up to 400 ml water per gram. Styrene was grafted onto thiol starch to give products containing 34.4–69.5% polystyrene with 986–3520 AGU/graft and having molecular weights of grafted chains between 276,000 and 364,000. Graft copolymers containing 48.9% polyacrylamide, 21.2% poly(acrylic acid), and 77.7% poly(2‐methacryloyloxyethyldimethylammonium acetate) were obtained under similar conditions.