Abstract

AbstractCrystalline 1,4‐trans polymers of butadiene and isoprene of regular structure are formed in polymerization of dienes in a chromia catalyst (chromium oxide on aluminum silicate). 1,4‐trans‐Polybutadiene with a specific gravity of 1.015 has crystalline modifications melting at 75 and 135°C. The 1,4‐trans‐polyisoprene resembles natural gutta‐percha. When α‐butylene undergoes polymerization on the same catalyst, a crystalline polymer is formed of specific weight 0,96 and melting point ca. 140°C. Any disturbance of the 1,4‐trans‐structure by copolymerization of butadiene or isoprene with other compounds leads to a loss of capacity for crystallization and to transition to the high elastic state. The butadiene‐isoprene copolymer contains about 55% butadiene links while preserving the 1,4‐trans structure of the chain and has a glass temperature of ca. −90°C., coinciding with the value calculated on the basis of a linear relation between the copolymer composition and the glass temperature. By copolymerization ethylene units could be incorporated in the trans‐polyisoprene chain to the extent of ca. 40 mole‐%. The polymer formed has a glass temperature of −76°C., as compared with −71°C., for 1,4‐polyisoprene. Polymerization of butadiene induced by the cobalt oxide‐diethyl‐aluminum halides proceeds at a high rate, even at 0°C. The polybutadiene formed contains predominantly links cis‐1,4 (about 85%) and only a small quantity (5–8%) of 1,2 links. Owing to the high content of 1,4 links the polymer has a glass temperature as low as −115°C. Unlike organometallic‐titanium tetrachloride systems, interaction between cobalt oxides and organoaluminum compounds in the temperature range 0–80°C. is not accompanied by formation of gaseous hydrocarbon products.

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