Novel strategies for the synthesis of hydroxylated and carboxylated polystyrenes

Abstract

Hydroxylated and carboxylated polystyrenes (PHMSt and PCSt, respectively) were synthesized using facile strategies. For this purpose, PSt was synthesized through atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) approach and then brominated at the paraposition of the aromatic rings to produce PBrSt. The bromination efficiency was calculated to be 37 and 68%, even though there was a degradation of the polymer chains, using 60 or 100 mol% of bromine relative to the PSt, respectively. The brominated polymer was converted into Grignard reagent (PSt-magnesium-Br), and then reacted with anhydrous formaldehyde and solid carbon dioxide (Dry Ice) to afford PHMSt and PCSt, respectively. The chemical structures of all synthesized polymers were characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) as well as proton nuclear magnetic resonance (H-1 NMR) spectroscopies. Furthermore, the thermal behavior of the synthesized PHMSt and PCSt were studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).