Polymers containing fluorinated ketone groups. IV. Syntheses and characterization of new fluorinated ketone-containing polymer-substituted polystyrenes

A series of new fluorinated ketone-containing polymers, poly(p-vinyltrifluoroacetophenone) (PVTFA), poly(p-vinyldifluoroacetophenone) (PVDFA), poly(p-vinylphenylheptafluoropropyl ketone) (PVHFK), and poly(o-and p-vinylbenzyltrifluoromethyl ketone) (PVTFK), were prepared by the free radical polymerization of the corresponding monomers. The monomers, p-vinyltrifluoroacetophenone (VTFA), p-vinyldifluoroacetophenone (VDFA), p-vinylphenylheptafluoropropyl ketone (VHFK), and o-and p-vinylbenzyltrifluoromethyl ketone (VTFK), were prepared by the reaction of Grignard reagent with the corresponding perfluoroacid or its lithium salt. Polymerization was a competitive side reaction during monomer preparation. Reduced side reaction and higher yields of monomer (based on the Grignard reagent) were obtained from the lithium salt of the perfluoroacid, compared with the perfluoroacid itself. These new substituted polystyrenes which contain fluorinated ketone functionality were characterized by their ability to (1) react with active hydrogen compounds such as alcohols or water; (2) have high glass transition temperatures and decreased solubility in nonpolar solvents (e. g., benzene) compared with polystyrene; and (3) be converted into other functional groups such as alcohols or acids by treatment with the appropriate chemical reagents. Beads of a styrene (ST) terpolymer with 2% divinylbenzene (DVB), which contained the CF₃COCH₂ function, were prepared by suspension polymerization of ST, VTFK, and DVB. The terpolymer, which contains 15-17% mole (or 0.70–0.71 meg/g) of CF₃COCH₂ swollen with a solvent, were shown to chemisorb alcohols.