Syntheses and characterization of polymetallosiloxanes from silicic acid and metal chlorides

Syntheses and characterization of polymetallosiloxanes by the non-hydrolysis sol-gel process using no metal alkoxides were investigated. The reaction of silicic acid (SA) with MCl4 (M = Ti, Zr) in the molar ratios SA/MCl4 = 0.5-3.0 using a tetrahydrofuran-methanol solvent formed polymetallosiloxane (PMS), which was insoluble in organic solvents regardless of the molar ratio. The PMS was isolated as esterified polymetallosiloxane by esterification with isopropyl alcohol for various periods, which were soluble in methanol, acetone, and tetrahydrofuran. The number average molecular weight was 1000-3200 for esterified polytitanosiloxane and 3400-11000 for esterified polyzirconosiloxane. Esterified polymetallosiloxanes had no melting point but decomposition point. The results of analytical data indicated that esterified polymetallosiloxane and/or polymetallosiloxane consisted of the main chain of Si-O-Si and Si-O-M linkage with the pendants of alkoxy, silanol, and chloro group.