Effect solvatant des copolymères styrène–macromère a chaîne polyoxyéthylène. Influence du support polymère

Polyoxyethylene macromers were used to prepare functionalized linear and crosslinked copolymers with styrene and divinylbenzene. Gel or macroporous resins were prepared. These copolymers and resins were used as anionic activators for the Williamson reaction of potassium phenoxide and alkyl bromides under solid–liquid or solid–liquid–liquid (triphase) conditions. In contrast to similar resins obtained from chemical grafting of polyoxyethylene onto chloromethylated styrene–divinylbenzene polymers, the activity factors were strongly dependent on the composition of the resins and their morphology: an optimum activity was obtained for a 0.05M fraction of macromers in soluble copolymers and crosslinked resins. In addition, a macroporous resin with large pores was more efficient than a gel‐type resin of similar composition. These effects are discussed in terms of accessibility of the activating group and compatibility of the support with the medium.