Abstract
Immobilization method of lariat azacrown ethers, containing hydroxyl group in the side arm of crown ring, on the polymer matrix and the phase-transfer catalytic activity of thus obtained immobilized lariat azacrown ethers were studied. Polystyrene resins with crown ether structures and hydroxyl groups adjacent to the macrorings were prepared by the reaction of crosslinked polystyrene resins containing epoxy groups with monoaza-15-crown-5 or monoaza-18-crown-6. Microporous crosslinked polystyrene resins containing epoxy group for the syntheses of these immobilized lariat crown catalysts were prepared by suspension polymerization of styrene, divinylbenzene (DVB 2%) and vinylbenzylglycidyl ether. The immobilized lariat catalysts with 10-20% ring substitution exhibited maximal activity for the halogen exchange reactions of 1-bromooctane with aqueous KI or NaI under triphase heterogeneous conditions. Immobilized catalyst exhibited higher activity than corresponding catalyst without the hydroxyl group and this result was suggested that the active site have a structure in which the $K^+$ ion was bound by the cooperative coordination of the crown ring donors and the hydroxyl group in the side arm.