One-step polymerization of polytrithiocarbonate using phase-transfer catalyst

A series of aliphatic and aromatic polytrithiocarbonates was prepared using a novel “one-pot” synthesis procedure employing a phase-transfer catalyst. The starting reagents were either an aliphatic or an aromatic dihalide and an excessive amount of carbon disulfide. The effects of the phase-transfer catalyst and reaction conditions on yield were studied. The structure and composition of the polymers and reaction side-products were determined from infrared, ultraviolet, ¹H-NMR spectra, and elemental analyses. The polymers were further characterized by viscosity measurement and thermal analysis. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis of Photodegradable Polystyrene with Trithiocarbonate as Linkages

Multiblock polystyrenes (PS) with trithiocarbonate groups as linkages are prepared via reversible addition‐fragmentation chain‐transfer polymerization using polytrithiocarbonate as a chain transfer agent. The photodegradability of the multiblock PS in the solid state is investigated under UV irradiation at room temperature in an air atmosphere. The experimental results demonstrate that the trithiocarbonate linkages in the multiblock PS can be broken under UV light irradiation at room temperature and the multiblock PS is degraded into separate PS blocks. Gel permeation chromatography measurement reveals that the molecular weight of multiblock PS is reduced from 27 900 to 7900 g mol⁻¹ after UV light irradiation for 745 h. Moreover, the thermal stability of the multiblock PS is examined and the results indicate that the incorporation of trithiocarbonate shows little influence on the thermal stability of multiblock PS.