Synthesis of dimethylamino terminated poly(tetrahydrofuran) and adhesion property of poly(tetrahydrofuran) ionene prepared therefrom.

In order to establish the polymerization conditions for the synthesis of bifunctional dimethylamino group terminated poly(oxytetramethylene) (AT-PT), living cationic polymerization of tetrahydrofuran by trifluoromethanesulfonic anhydride was carried out. Especially, factors determining the molecular weight were investigated. The polymerization enabled us to prepare monodispersed AT-PTs having molecular weght between 2000 and 10000. The resultant AT-PTs were bifunctional, i.e., each molecule contains two dimethylamino groups. From AT-PT and dihalide, poly(oxytetramethylene) ionene (PTI) was synthesized in a thin film form. Tensile properties of the PTI films revealed that the films were very tough and elastic. PTI was also found to have high peel strength towards the Bakelite surface. The peel strength increased with the increase of cationic site on PTI main chains, i. e., with the decrease of molecular weight of AT-PT. PTI also had a high permeability of moisture due to the presence of ionic sites. From t...