CHEMICAL MODIFICATION OF POLY(SUBSTITUTED-ACETYLENE) .5. ALKYLSILYLATION OF POLY(1-TRIMETHYLSILYL-1-PROPYNE) AND IMPROVED LIQUID SEPARATING PROPERTY AT PERVAPORATION

In order to improve the separation characteristic at pervaporation, the introduction of several kinds of trialkylsilyl groups into poly(1‐trimethylsilyl‐1‐propyne) (PTMSP) was achieved via metalation of PTMSP followed by treating with trialkylchlorosilanes to afford trialkylsilylated PTMSP. Ratio of TMSP monomer unit and trialkylsilylated unit, x/y, was in the range of 95/5 to 80/20. All the chemically modified PTMSP membranes showed ethanol permselectivity at pervaporation of aqueous ethanol solution. Introduction of appropriate length of alkyl groups (methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, hexyl, octyl, and decyl groups) into PTMSP effectively enhanced the selectivity. However, excess introduction of octyl and decyl groups or introduction of dodecyl and octadecyl groups caused decrease of selectivity, of which the value was smaller than that of PTMSP membrane. Furthermore, acetone, acetonitrile, dioxane, and isopropanol were efficiently separated from their aqueous solutions at pervaporation through trimethylsilylated PTMSP membrane. Copyright © 1991 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.