Preparation of hydroxy-terminated poly(3,3-bisazidomethyloxetanes)
AssigneeHercules Incorporated
InventorsRobert A. Earl, James S. Elmslie
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Polymerizing 3,3-bischloromethyloxetane to yield halomethyl polymer products having hydroxy functionality and a molecular weight between about 500-15,000 followed by reacting such products with metal azide provides poly(azidomethyloxetanes) particularly useful as energetic binders for explosives, gas generators and gun and rocket propellants. Polyhydric initiators are used in the polymerization step.
Claims22
A method of making a hydroxy terminated poly(azidomethyloxetane), which comprises:
- (a) reacting (i) a 3,3-bishalomethyloxetane with (ii) a polyhydric initiator at a molar ratio of (i) to (ii) of at least about 3:1 in the presence of a strong or Lewis acid catalyst at a polymerization temperature to produce a halomethyl polymer product having a molecular weight between about 500 and 15,000 and a hydroxy number above about 1.5;
- and
- (b) contacting the halomethyl polymer product of (a) and a metal azide at an elevated temperature for a time sufficient to displace a portion of the halide groups of the halomethyl polymer product with azido groups.
A method of making a hydroxy terminated poly(3,3-bisazidomethyloxetane), which comprises:
- (a) reacting (1) a 3,3-bischloromethyl oxetane with (ii) a polyhydric alcohol at a molar ratio of (i) to (ii) of at least about 3:1 in the presence of a strong or Lewis acid catalyst at a polymerization temperature to produce a chloromethyl polymer product having a molecular weight between about 500 and 15,000 and a hydroxy number above about 1.5;
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- (b) reacting the chloromethyl polymer product and a metal azide at an elevated temperature for a time sufficient to displace essentially all of the chloride groups of the chloromethyl polymer product with azido groups to provide the hydroxy-terminated poly(3,3-bisazidomethyloxetane).
A method of making a hydroxy-terminated poly(azidomethyloxetane), which comprises:
- (a) reacting (i) a 3,3-bishalomethyloxetane, a polymerizable monomer copolymerizable therewith and (ii) a polyhydric initiator at a molar ratio of (i) to (ii) of at least about 3:1 in the presence of a strong or Lewis acid catalyst at a polymerization temperature to produce a halomethyl copolymer product having a molecular weight between about 500 and 15,000 and a hydroxy number above about 1.5;
- and
- (b) contacting the halomethyl copolymer product and a metal azide at an elevated temperature for a time sufficient to displace a portion of the halide groups of the copolymer product with azido groups.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.