Quasiliving cationic ring-opening polymerization of 2-ethyl-2-oxazoline in benzotrifluoride, as an alternative reaction medium

Cationic ring-opening polymerization (CROP) of 2-ethyl-2-oxazoline (EtOx) was systematically investigated in benzotrifluoride (BTF), which is considered as an environmentally less harmful solvent than many conventional reaction media. Simultaneously, polymerizations solvents, such acetonitrile, N,N-dimethylacetamide and toluene, were also carried out for comparison the 80–100 °C temperature range. Kinetic experiments revealed that monomer consumption occurs by first order kinetics number average molecular weights linearly increase line with theoretical weight a function conversion. These findings indicate takes place quasiliving CROP all including BTF well, resulting PEtOx prederminded polydispersities 1.3–15. The highest rates obtained BTF, high conversions short times at 100 temperature. Arrhenius parameters EtOx indicates relatively activation energy other applied however, compensation effect between energies frequency factor observed variety solvents. Our are expected to enable convenient synthesis polyoxazolines polyoxazoline-based well-defined polymer architectures advantageous alternative media, without need any special conditions or equipment.