Sulfonate-group-containing polymers

Sulfonic-group-containing polymers belong to the family of Functional Polymers . This term is used for macromolecules containing a moiety that is capable of a specific chemical function. In order to do so, the group is usually covalently attached to the polymer backbone either directly, or via an intermediate subgroup. 

In contrast to the sulfonate-group-containing polymers described in the previous section, that were formed from their monomers by polymerization, the present section will deal with derivation of such polymers from parent macromolecules by sulfonation. 

A reactive aromatic sulfonyl fluoride monomer, iV-(fluorosulfonyl)phenyl acrylamide, was prepared by Hart and Timmerman and its copolymerization with other monomers was reported63. However, their use as intermediates for the derivation of various sulfonyl-or sulfone-group-containing polymers is widely practiced. Thus, the —S02C1 group in a material trade-named Hypalon (DuPont) is used as a handle for the subsequent vulcanization of this elastomer. 

The aromatic sulfone polymers are a group of high performance plastics, many of which have relatively closely related stmctures and similar properties (see Polymers containing sulfur, polysulfones). Chemically, all are polyethersulfones, ie, they have both aryl ether (ArOAr) and aryl sulfone (ArS02Ar) linkages in the polymer backbone. The simplest polyethersulfone (5) consists of aromatic rings linked alternately by ether and sulfone groups. 

An example of a sulfite ester made from thionyl chloride is the commercial iasecticide endosulfan [115-29-7]. A stepwise reaction of thionyl chloride with two different alcohols yields the commercial miticide, propaigite [2312-35-8] (189). Thionyl chloride also has appHcations as a co-reactant ia sulfonations and chlorosulfonations. A patent describes the use of thionyl chloride ia the preparation of a key iatermediate, bis(4-chlorophenyl) sulfone [80-07-9] which is used to make a commercial polysulfone engineering thermoplastic (see Polymers CONTAINING SULFUR, POLYSULFONe) (190). The sulfone group is derived from chlorosulfonic acid the thionyl chloride may be considered a co-reactant which removes water (see Sulfolanes and sulfones). 

Ionomer-type elastomers, containing small amounts (less than 5%) of metal carboxylate or sulfonate groups, have potential as a new class of thermoplastic elastomers. Carboxylic acid groups are introduced into polymers such as polybutadiene by copolymerization with a monomer such as acrylic or methacrylic acid. 

Maleated oils, 9 150—151 Maleate group-containing polyesters, sulfonation of, 23 536 Maleate polymers, 20 100 Maleic acid, 25 481-523... 

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