초록
Fe-EDTA complex, which is easily formed when Fe salt and EDTA.2Na are mixed in the aqueous medium, is found to be a very effective catalyst in the dehydropolycondensation of aminophenols. In the dehydropolycondensation of aminophenols, the catalyst, Fe(Ⅲ)-EDTA complex (higher oxidation state) is reduced to less stable Fe(Ⅱ)-EDTA complex (lower oxidation state), and the latter is easily oxidized by air to the original higher oxidation state complex, therefore the catalytic action of Fe-EDTA complex is found to be recycled effectively. Under the catalytic action of the above mentioned complex, p-aminophenol is polymerized in the aqueous medium to form the oligomers of p-aminophenol, which the degree of polymerization to be 5 or more. The oligomers formed contain partly quinone nucleus as well as amino and hydroxyl groups. In this study, the effects of the solvents and characteristics of the oligomers are discussed. These types of polymerizations catalyzed by the metallic chelate compounds are considered to be very closely related to the reactions in the living matters.