Functionalized polysulfide copolymers with 4-vinylpyridine via inverse vulcanization

A new series of functional polysulfide copolymers called poly(sulfur-random-4-vinylpyridine) (poly(S-r-4VP)) was synthesized via inverse vulcanization technique by ring opening polymerization of elemental sulfur in the presence of 4-vinylpyridine (4VP). The corresponding copolymers can be post functionalized by using amine group in 4VP unit to get polymers bearing various properties. Elemental sulfur was heated up to 160 degrees C and 4VP was added slowly to a clear yellowish orange colored liquid at this temperature. The reaction mixture was vitrified to form a reddish-brown polymeric material at 180 degrees C in 1 h. The products were characterized by using FTIR, NMR, and Raman spectroscopic techniques. Poly(S-r-4VP) copolymers are soluble in common solvents like dichloromethane, chloroform and tetrahydrofuran. Weight-average molecular weights of poly(S-r-4VP) copolymers with different wt% 4VP were measured by using gel permeation chromatography technique. The polysulfide copolymers with different wt% 4VP have high weight-average molecular weights with polydispersity indeces (PDI) in a range from 1.88 to 4.06 measured by gel permeation chromatography. Post functionalization of the copolymer with 50 wt% 4VP as an example was performed successfully by using alkyl bromide to get N-alkyl quaternized 4VP in polymer backbone.