Study of solvation of alkali cations with poly(ethylene oxide)

✍ Scribed by G.N. Arkhipovich; S.A. Dubrovskii; K.S. Kazanskii; N.V. Ptitsina; A.N. Shupik

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1982
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 497 KB
• Volume: 18
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0014-3057
• DOI: 10.1016/0014-3057(82)90033-7

✦ Synopsis

The interaction of sodium, potassium and caesium salts with poly(ethylene oxide) in nitromethane is considered as a model for solvation of alkali counterions with a heterochain polymer during the anionic polymerization of heterocycles. The methods of 23Na and 133Cs n.m.r, and of conductometry sensitive towards the state of the cation have been used for studying the equilibria. It has been shown that poly(ethylene oxide) binds cations much more strongly than monomeric cyclic ethers, a solvation shell being formed involving several (6-12) oxygen atoms of the same macromolecule. The equilibrium constants of the formation of solvate complexes have been evaluated; they increase with increasing chain length and decreasing cation radius. The mechanism of interactions and their role in the processes of anionic polymerization are discussed.