PARA-STYRENESULFINIC ACID AND ITS POLYMER AS REACTANTS

The free-radical aqueous polymerizations of p-styrenesulfinates (Na, K, NHEt//3-salts) provided water-soluble polymers with high molecular weights at low conversions. The polymers contained 62-84% of the sulfinate unit and indicated half-oxidation potentials ranging from 340 to 415 mV. The nucleophilic reactions of the sodium polysulfinate left bracket poly(sulfinic acid) right bracket prepared from cross-linked polystyrene are highly dependent upon the swelling nature of the solvent. The reactions consisting of (A) simple displacements with activated halomethyl groups, (B) reductive additions to quinonoid compounds such as TCNQ and alizarin, and (C) displacements of the activated aromatic nitro groups, e. g. , of 2,4,7-trinitrofluorenone have been investigated and the results compared with those of p-toluene and p-styrenesulfinates.