Aqueous process for the quantitative conversion of polyepichlorohydrin to glycidyl azide polymer

An aqueous process for the quantitative conversion of polyepichlorohydrin (PECH) to glycidyl azide polymer (GAP), comprises the steps of:

• combining said PECH and an ionic azide in a mixture of water and a phase transfer catalyst capable of the quantitative conversion of PECH to GAP;
• reacting said PECH and said ionic azide in said aqueous mixture while agitating said mixture at a temperature between about 25.degree. C. and about 100.degree. C., and wherein said aqueous mixture is maintained under a nitrogen purged environment;
• and
• recovering said GAP from said aqueous mixture by separating the aqueous layer from the product layer;
• water-washing said product layer to remove any inorganic salts remaining in the product layer;
• alcohol-washing said water-washed product layer so as to remove said phase transfer catalyst;
• dissolving said alcohol-washed product layer in a low-boiling, non-polar solvent;
• purifying said dissolved product layer by passing it through adsorbents capable of removing impurities;
• and
• concentrating said purified product layer so as to remove said low-boiling non-polar solvent.