ACID-PROMOTED ELECTRON-TRANSFER TO FACILITATE OXIDATIVE POLYMERIZATION OF DIARYL DISULFIDES

A catalytic amount of Lewis acids ([Lewis acid]/[Disulfide]=1/200) facilitated electron transfer from diaryl disulfides to a stoichiometric amount of another oxidizing agent by which linear poly[thio(1,4-arylene)] was produced. Such Lewis acids as SbCl5 and FeCl3 facilitated oxidation of diphenyl disulfide by quinones more efficiently than protic acids such as CF3COOH, where the Lewis acid showed more than 200-fold more activity than the protic acid. Oxovanadium complex-catalyzed oxygen-oxidation of disulfides was also facilitated by these Lewis acids. The catalysis of these Lewis acids includes not only the activation of quinones or the oxovanadium complex, but also the lowering of the oxidation potential of the monomers.