Photo-induced Living Cationic Polymerization of Tetrahydrofuran. III. Synthesis of Poly(THF-co-3-MTHF)

Poly(3-methyltetrahydrofuran)(3-MTHF) and poly(tetrahydrofuran-co-3-MTHF), having very narrow molecular weight distribution were successfully synthesized via photo-induced living cationic polymerization in the presence of diphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate. Linear relationship between % conversion and number average molecular weight of resulting poly(3-MTHF) in the polymerization of 3-MTHF, carried out at -22$^{\circ}C$, indicates that the 5-membered cyclic oxonium ion, being responsible for the cationic propagation is stabilized by ion pall formation with hexafluorophosphate anion, supplied from the salt. The linear relationship between two parameters, mentioned above was also observed in the copolymerization of 3-MTHF with THF, carried out at 0 and -22$^{\circ}C$. The molecular structures including the copolymer composition and average molecular weight and its distribution is determined by reaction parameters such as monomer feed ratio and reaction temperature.