Radiation-Induced Addition Reaction of Ethyl Mercaptan and Carbon Tetrachloride to 1,2-Polybutadiene

Abstract

γ-Ray-induced addition reactions of syndiotactic 1,2-polybuta-diene film with various compounds were carried out at room temperature. The weight of the film markedly increased when ethyl mercaptan was used. In the reaction with ethyl mercaptan, only addition took place without crosslinking. The addition of ethyl mercaptan to the vinyl group of syndiotactic 1,2-poly-butadiene followed anti-Markownikoff rule, and gave a 1:1 addition product. The rate of addition increased as the crys-tallinity of syndiotactic 1,2-polybutadiene used became lower. A similar relation between the crystallinity and the rate of addition was also observed in the γ-ray-induced addition of carbon tetrachloride to syndiotactic 1,2-polybutadiene, but at the same time gelation was pronounced. When liquid 1,2-polybutadiene was used instead of syndiotactic-1,2-polybutadiene, gelation which made the polymer insoluble in carbon tetrachloride did not take place, although a crosslinking reaction was noted. The appearance of the product in this case changed from a viscous liquid to a white powder as the reaction proceeded. The addition of carbon tetrachloride to the vinyl group of liquid 1,2-polybutadiene was also of the anti-Markownikoff type. This addition was accompanied by unexpectedly large vinyl consumption. The total decrease in vinyl group was found to be much larger than the decrease in vinyl group which was brought about by the addition of carbon tetrachloride. This discrepancy was attributed to cyclization and crosslinking reactions which were ascribed to the vinyl group bound by the main chain.