Copolymerization of 3,3,3-trifluoro-1,2-epoxypropane with 1,2-epoxypropane using organozinc compounds

The copolymerization of 3,3,3-trifluoro-1,2-epoxypropane (TFEP) with 1,2-epoxypropane (EP) using organozinc compounds, [Zn(OMe) 2 (EtZnOMe) 6 ], [Zn(OMe) 2 ] n , and Et 2 Zn-H 2 O (1 :0.8), was studied. The molar ratio of TFEP and EP in the resulting copolymer was estimated by 1 H-NMR analysis and elemental analysis. The copolymerization that started with equimolar amounts of TFEP and EP produced an EP-rich copolymer in moderate yield when [Zn(OMe) 2 (EtZnOMe) 6 ] or [Zn(OMe) 2 ] n was used as the initiator. On the other hand, copolymerization initiated using Et 2 Zn-H 2 O (1 :0.8) produced TFEP-EP copolymers with various molar ratios in high yield. 1 H-NMR and DSC analyses indicated that the copolymerization proceeded in a block manner. When the molar ratio of TFEP in the copolymer obtained using [Zn(OMe) 2 (EtZnOMe) 6 ] approached approximately 90%, the T m , T g , and contact angle to water of the copolymer were close to those of the TFEP homopolymer.