Oxidative polymerization of 2,6-dimethylphenol catalysed by insoluble polymer copper complexes

Abstract

Catalysis by insoluble polymerCu complexes was studied for the oxidative polymerization of 2,6-dimethylphenol. The polymerization was heterogeneously catalysed by the insoluble complex. The catalyst was readily recovered by filtration and could be re-used. Compared with the homogeneous system, the catalytic activity and the molecular weight of the produced polymer were lower for the insoluble polymerCu complex because of steric hindrance, low flexibility of the ligand part and low concentration of the effective copper ion. © 1981.