Preparation and Catalytic Behaviour of Polymers with Pendant Oligoethyleneoxy‐groups (Polymers of Non‐cyclic Crown Ethers)

Vinyl monomers with oligoethyleneglycolether moieties as pendant groups, having different lengths of the oligoether chain and different end groups such as the ethyl‐ and quinolinyl‐group, have been prepared. Homopolymers, a copolymer with styrene and crosslinked copolymers with p‐divinylbenzene were obtained by radical polymerization of the vinyl monomers. The catalytic activity of these polymers in comparison with that of the low molecular weight model compounds was investigated in the nucleophilic substitution of benzylchloride with the acetate ion. The influence of the counter cation of the acetate ion, the lengths of the oligoethyleneglycol chain, the nature of its end group and the effect of different solvents on the catalysis were studied.