Synthesis and Evaluation of Thiol Polymers

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Thiol polymer, which is known as a reactive and functional polymer, is synthesized and evaluated quantitatively by the modified Ellman method. The synthesis was accomplished by 1) hydrolysis of an isothiouronium salt that is the adduct of 4‐chloromethylstyrene (CMS) homopolymer or CMS‐styrene (St) copolymer with thiourea; 2) hydrolysis of a precursor copolymer made from 4‐vinylbenzyl N‐ethyldithio‐carbamate (VBEC) and St or N‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (NVP); 3) solvolysis of an iminium salt polymer obtained from the reaction of CMS‐NVP copolymer with N,N‐dimethylthioformamide (TDMF). When a higher thiol content is desired, more severe hydrolysis conditions are required which however, also increase the loss of thiol. Hence, it is clear that the best synthesis of thiol polymers is Method 3. A quantitative yield of functional thiol polymer is obtained by this method, and the product is soluble in DMSO, DMF, and CHCI3.