SYNTHESIS OF POLY(CROWN ETHER)S VIA CYCLOPOLYMERIZATION AND THEIR HOST PROPERTY

Cyclopolymerization, which does not need a cyclic derivative as monomer, is a direct method for producing rings and polymer chain at the same time. Monomers forming 5-7 membered-rings have been generally studied. We established the synthesis of polymers with macrocyclic units via cyclopolymerization of bifunctional monomers containing oxyethylene units. Poly(crown ether)s and poly(cryptande)s are synthesized through the polymerizations of divinyl ethers and diepoxides, poly(thia-crown ether)s through diepisulfides, and poly (crown lactone)s through the monomers having acrylic and allyllic groups. These polymers except for poly (crown lactone)s consist essentially of cyclic constitutional repeating units, and have the cation-binding properties. Cyclopolymerization of divinyl ethers is a facile method for producing optically active poly (crown ether)s which exhibit chiral recognition towar ds alpha-amino acids. For the cyclopolymerization of divinyl either derive d from chiral 3,3'-disubstituted-1,1'-bi-2-naphthol, the asymmetric induction in the polymer main chain was concluded by the analysis of H-1 NM R spectra of polymers.