Functional polymers and sequential copolymers by phase transfer catalysis. XXII. Vinylidene fluoride–trifluoroethylene copolymers by surface modification of polyvinylidene fluoride

Polyvinylidene fluoride films and powders have been used to synthesize vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene copolymers. The synthetic procedure involves a phase transfer catalyzed heterogenous dehydrofluorination, followed by electrophilic chlorination or bromination. A phase transfer catalyzed displacement of bromine or chlorine by fluoride ion completes the synthesis. Dehydrofluorinations were up to 40% complete at room temperature and up to 100% complete at 90°C. Electrophilic chlorination of the resulting carbon–carbon double bonds were complete on both powder or films. The bromination of dehydrohalogenated polymers does not go to completion even when the reaction is carried out in solution. Displacement reactions were incomplete and resulted in further dehydrohalogenation when tetrabutylammonium hydrogen sulfate (TBAH) or 18-crown-6 and KF were used in organic solvents. Using TBAH, KHF₂, and water, high degrees of displacement were achieved only on the brominated compounds. The chlorinated products gave both displacement and elimination.