| Abstract: | The γ-ray copolymerization of carbon monoxide with cyclic ethers, such as ethylene oxide, phenyl glycidyl ether, 1,3-dioxolane, 2-vinyl-1,3-dioxolane, terahydrofuran, 1,4-dioxane, and acetaldehyde was studied. A yellowish or brownish powdery copolymer was obtained in most of the cases examined. The infrared spectra showed that copolymers containing the ester structural unit were produced in the copolymerization with cyclic ethers which have no vinyl groups, and that a copolymer containing a ketone structure was produced from cyclic ether having vinyl group. It was found that the copolymer with ethylene oxide also had a β-propiolactone ring structure at the chain end or the side chain. The copolymers were confirmed to be partially crystalline from the x-ray diffraction diagrams. Further, a ring-opening polymerizability of the cyclic ether by γ-radiation was discussed. And it was found that as the bond dissociation energy between the carbon–oxygen linkage of the cyclic ether is small, the polymer yield both in the homopolymerization and copolymerization with carbon monoxide is high. A mechanism for the copolymerization is proposed on the basis of the results. |
