Phase Transfer Catalysis in Polycondensation Processes: XVIII. Thermal properties and molecular simulation of some polyethers containing oxetane rings in the main chain

A study was made of the influence of the chemical structure of the chains on the thermal stability of a series of copolyethers obtained from 3,3-bis(chloromethyl)oxetane and various bisphenols: 4,4'-dihydroxyazobenzene, 4,4'-dihydroxydiphenyl, 4,4'-thiodiphenol, 1,1-bis(4-hydroxy-phenyl)ethane and 4,4'-dihydroxydiphenylsulfone. For a better correlation between chemical structure and thermal stability, molecular simulations were performed, using the HYPERCHEM (version 4.5) program. The lowest thermal stability was exhibited by the polymers that contain azobenzene units. The best thermal stability was that of the polyethers containing thiodiphenyl and 1,1-bis(phenyl)ethane units.