Production of poly(chlorosulfostyrene) by synthesis in a gel

Abstract

Synthesis in a gel as a method for the preparation of poly(chlorosulfostyrene) by treating polystyrene with chlorosulfonic acid was proposed, which makes it possible to obtain a polymer with a total degree of functionalization of sulfo and chlorosulfo groups up to 1.0. The possibility of regulating the degree of chlorosulfonation in the range from 50 to 100% was shown. The composition and structure of the products of polymer-analogous transformations were characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR spectroscopy, and thermogravimetry with IR identification of the decomposition products. Chlorosulfonation in the gel makes it possible to achieve a high degree of functionalization even at lower temperatures, at room temperature, and at less time than compared with known methods.