Amine scavengers for synthesis of polythioaminals

A method of forming a composition, comprising:

• forming a reaction mixture comprising a hexahydrotriazine, a dithiol having the general structure HS—R1—SH, and an amine scavenger having a selective reactivity to amines in the reaction mixture, the amine scavenger being one or more materials selected from the group consisting of an isocyanate, a thiocyanate, an organic carbonate, an organic thioanhydride, an organic anhydride, a carbonyl imidazole, an organic oxalate, an organic lactide, and an organic succimide;
• and
• forming a thioaminal polymer of the general form:
• by heating the reaction mixture to a temperature of at least about 50° C.;
• wherein R1 is an organic or hetero-organic group;
• wherein a plurality of the R groups are organic or hetero-organic species and have a molecular weight greater than about 120 Daltons.

A method of forming a composition, comprising:

• mixing an N-substituted hexahydrotriazine and a dithiol having the general structure HS—R1—SH in a vessel to form a first mixture wherein R1 is an organic or hetero-organic group;
• adding an amine scavenger having a selective reactivity to amines to the first mixture, the amine scavenger being one or more materials selected from the group consisting of an isocyanate, a thiocyanate, an organic carbonate, an organic thioanhydride, an organic anhydride, a carbonyl imidazole, an organic oxalate, an organic lactide, and an organic succimide;
• and
• heating the first mixture to a temperature of at least about 50° C. to form a thioaminal polymer,
• wherein a substituent bonded to a nitrogen atom of the N-substituted hexahydrotriazine forms an amine byproduct, and
• the amine byproduct reacts with the amine scavenger to form an inert species, and
• at least some substituents bonded to a nitrogen atom of the N-substituted hexahydrotriazine have molecular weight of about 120 Daltons or more.