Spiro(benzoxasilole) catalyzed polymerization of oxetane derivatives

A spiro(benzoxasilole) catalyst, 3,3,3′,3′-tetrakis(trifluoromethyl)-1,1′-(3H,3H′)-spirobis(1,2-benzoxasilole) was used to polymerize 3,3-R,R′-oxetanes: BEMO (R, R′ = ethoxymethyl), AMMO (R = azidomethyl, R′ = methyl), NMMO (R = nitratomethyl, R′ = methyl), BAMO (R, R′ = azidomethyl), and BCMO (R, R′ = chloromethyl) with descending rates in this order. ³¹P-NMR of polymerization mixtures quenched using Bu₃P are consistent with an oxonium ion propagating species. Water is not a cocatalyst because it increases the induction period which is not eliminated by the proton trap 2,6-di-t-bu-tylpyridine. The propagating chains were terminated by transfer with the ether oxygen of the polymer either intermolecularly or intramolecularly. The index of propagation to chain transfer, Kk_ik_p/k_tr, varies over more than three orders of magnitude for BEMO > AMMO > NMMO > BAMO. However, k_p/k_tr for the four monomers differ by less than a factor of five indicating the same factors are affecting propagation and chain transfer. Addition of benzyl alcohol and propandiol produced poly(BEMO) having one and two hydroxyl termini, respectively. These telechelic polymers can be used to synthesize linear triblock or multiblock copolymers of oxetane derivatives. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.