A process for the catalytic synthesis of polyphosphazenes

• US 4,946,938 A
• Filed: 08/01/1989
• Issued: 08/07/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: University Of Pittsburgh (University of Pittsburgh of The Commonwealth System of Higher Education)
• Original Assignee: University Of Pittsburgh (University of Pittsburgh of The Commonwealth System of Higher Education)
• Inventors: Magill, J. H., Merker, R. L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson, Harold D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mosley, T.
• Application Number:
  US07/388,539
• Time in Patent Office: 371 Days
• Field of Search: 528/399
• US Class Current: 528/399
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 79/025 Polyphosphazenes

Abstract

The present invention relates to an improved process for the synthesis of polyphosphazenes in which catalytic amounts of a compound selected from the group consisting of toluenesulfonic acid, sulfabenzoic acid, ammonium sulfamate and sulfamic acid, and preferably an effective amount of a promoter compound selected from the group consisting of CaSO₄.2H₂ O, CuSO₄.2H₂ O, NiSO₄.2H₂ O, CoSO₄.2H₂ O, MgSO₄.2H₂ O and Al(OH)₃, are added to a reaction mixture of hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene and 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene.

Claims

1. In a process for the synthesis of polyphosphazene by solution polymerization of hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene to produce polydichlorophosphazene and the subsequent nucleophilic substitution at the phosphorus of the chlorine with sodium alkyloxide/aryloxide, the improvement comprising the addition of a catalytic amount of a compound selected from the group consisting of toluenesulfonic acid, sulfabenzoic acid, ammonium sulfamate and sulfamic acid, and an effective amount of a promoter compound selected from the group consisting of CaSO₄.2H₂ O, CuSO₄.2H₂ O, NiSO₄.2H₂ O, CoSO₄.2H₂ O, MgSO₄.2H₂ O and Al(OH)₃, to a reaction mixture of hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene and 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the catalytic compound is sulfamic acid.

3. The process of claim 2 wherein the catalytic compound is the decomposition products of sulfamic acid.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the catalytic compound is present in an amount of from 0.05 to 0.60 wt. %, based on the weight of the hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein the catalytic compound is selected from the group consisting of toluenesulfonic acid and sulfabenzoic acid.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein the promoter compound is CaSO₄.2H₂ O.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein the promoter compound is present in an amount of from 0.05 to 0.75 wt. % based on the weight of the hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene.

8. In a process for the synthesis of polyphosphazene by solution polymerization of hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene to produce polydichlorophosphazene and the subsequent nucleophilic substitution at the phosphorus of the chlorine with sodium alkyloxide/aryloxide, the improvement comprising the addition of a catalytic amount of a compound selected from the group consisting of toluenesulfonic acid, sulfabenzoic acid, the decomposition products of ammonium sulfamate and the decomposition products of sulfamic acid to a reaction mixture of hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene and 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene.

9. The process of claim 8 wherein the catalytic compound is the decomposition products of sulfamic acid.

10. The process of claim 8 wherein the catalytic compound is present in an amount of from 0.05 to 0.60 wt. %, based on the weight of the hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene.

11. The process of claim 8 wherein a promoter amount of a compound selected from the group consisting of CaSO₄.2H₂ O, CuS₄.2H₂ O, NiSO₄.2H₂ O, CoSO₄.2H₂ O, MgSO₄.2H₂ O and Al(OH)₃ is present with the catalyst in an effective amount to promote the synthesis of the polyphosphazene.

12. The process of claim 11 wherein the promoter compound is CaSO₄.2H₂ O.

13. The process of claim 11 wherein the promoter compound is present in an amount of from 0.05 to 0.75 wt. % based on the weight of the hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene.