Journal of Polymer Science Part A: Polymer Chemistry, Vol.38, No.10, 1828-1833, 2000
Synthesis, characterization, and ring opening polymerization of poly(1,4-cyclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate) cyclic oligomers
Cyclic oligomers of poly(1,4-cyclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate) (PCT) were prepared by reaction of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM) with terephthaloyl chloride under diluted conditions and separated from the linear products by silica gel column at a yield of 23.7 wt %. Cyclic dimer, trimer, tetramer, pentamer, and hexamer were further separated by high performance liquid chromatography, and found to constitute 98% of the cyclics mixtures. The structures of PCT cyclics were confirmed by means of mass spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared, and H-1 NMR analysis. A series of experiments were carried out to study the effects of catalysts and cis/trans configuration of isomers of CHDM on the yield of cyclic oligomers. Ring opening polymerization of the cyclic oligomers was carried out by heating the sample mixtures at 310 degrees C for 30 min in the presence of antimony oxide. Polymerization was confirmed by inherent viscosity changes and infrared spectra of the resulting polyesters.
Keywords:poly(1,4-cyclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate);ring opening polymerization;cyclic oligomer;high performance liquid chromatography;configuration