Crosslinked poly(ethylene oxide) modified with tetraalkylammonium salts as phase transfer catalyst

Radiation crosslinked poly(ethylene oxide)s (PEO) modified with two tetraalkylammonium salts: allyldimethyldodecylammonium bromide and ethylmethacrylate dimethyldodecylammonium bromide were prepared. They have been characterized by elemental analysis, IR, 1H‐NMR spectra, and DSC measurements. Their activity as phase transfer catalysts (PTC) in the model displacement reaction of 1‐bromooctane with aqueous sodium cyanide were studied. The reaction kinetics were followed under pseudo‐first‐order conditions. Small amounts of onium salt inserted into the PEO network gave rise to a five time increase in the rate constant. The recovered catalysts could be re‐used without loss of activity.