Polymer reagents: preparation of polymer esters of thiocarboxylic acids based on crosslinked polystyrene

The process of acylation of polymer thiols based on microporous poly (styrene-co-divinylbenzene) (crosslinking agent content 1–2%) with carboxylic acids was investigated depending of the degree of functionalization, on the crosslinking of the polymer carrier and on the structure of acids. In the presence of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide and 4-dimethylaminopyridine the acylation reactions can be conducted to high degrees of the transformation of SH groups already at room temperature. The extent of such refunctionalization reactions depends neither on the degree of functionalization of the starting polymer thiol nor on the structure of the acids. Reactions of polymer esters of thiocarboxylic acids with primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols activated with mercury (II) trifluoroacetate lead to low ester yields.