ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

A new chloromethylation method based on polystyrene–divinylbenzene

Yuli Fu, Xiaobei Huang, Shihua Zhong, Wen-Jun Yi, and Li-Jun Li

Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China

E-mail: zhongshihua@hunnu.edu.com

Abstract: The chloromethylated polystyrene–divinylbenzene (Cl-PS–DVB) was obtained via the chloromethylation of high cross-linked polystyrene–divinylbenzene (PS–DVB). Methylal, trioxymethylene and thionyl chloride were applied as reactants. The obtained Cl-PS–DVB (chloromethylated polystyrene–divinylbenzene) was characterized by the BET and FT-IR. Also, the catalyst, reaction time and reaction temperature were optimized. The chlorine content of the obtained Cl-PS–DVB reached 19% under the catalysis of FeCl₃ at 45 °C. The chloromethylation method was thought to be environmental friendly because low toxic reactant (methylal, trioxymethylene and thionyl chloride) were applied in the in situ chloromethylation of PS–DVB in this process instead of using hypertoxic chloromethyl ether (BCME) directly. Also, the low production cost of this reaction gives it a bright prospect in industrial application.

Keywords: Polystyrene–divinylbenzene ; Chloromethylation 

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-019-00761-6

Chemical Papers 73 (9) 2183–2188 (2019)