| Abstract: | High molecular weight, linear polyethers were prepared by polymerizing a series of ring-substituted phenyl glycidyl ethers by using the ferric chloride–propylene oxide and dibutylzinc–water catalyst systems. The α-naphthyl, β-naphthyl, p-phenylphenyl, the o-, m-, and p-methyl, and the o- and p-chlorophenyl polymers resemble the parent polymer in that they are readily crystallizable polyethers which have melting points above 170°C. The other substituted poly(phenyl glycidyl ethers), including the o- and p-isopropyl, p-tert-butyl, p-octyl, and 2,4,6-trichloro derivatives show much less tendency to crystallize and are lower melting. The x-ray and electron diffraction data established that poly(o-chlorophenyl glycidyl ether) crystallizes in an orthorhombic unit cell; data obtained in a parallel study of unsubstituted poly(phenyl glycidyl ether) did not allow assignment of a specific structure. |
