Synthesis and characterization of poly(ferrocenyl glycidyl ether)-1,2-butylene oxide copolymers

Five different samples of poly(epichlorohydrin- co -1,2-butylene oxide) (poly(ECH- co -BO)) were synthesized by ring opening cationic copolymerization in the presence of BF 3 -etherate with diethyleneglycol as an initiator system. Poly(ferrocenyl glycidyl ether)-butylene oxide (poly(FcGE)-BO) copolymers were obtained by a substitution reaction of ferrocene methanol with the epichlorohydrin (ECH) unit in poly(ECH- co -BO) under basic conditions. Structural analysis of all products was performed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The thermal behaviors of the poly(ECH- co -BO) and poly(FcGE)-BO copolymers were compared using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). As iron content increased, the T g of poly(FcGE)-BO copolymers also increased. The decomposition temperature of poly (ECH- co -BO) was higher than those of poly(FcGE)-BO copolymers.