Highly efficient anionic ring-opening reactions of epoxide triggered by phosphide

Abstract

Potassium diphenyl phosphide (KPPh 2 ), which forms a highly nucleophilic phosphide anion, was used as an initiator for the anionic ring-opening polymerization of glycidyl phenyl ether (GPE). GPE was selected as a model compound for the practical application of various glycidyl-type epoxy resins. MALDI-TOF MS analysis of the resulting polymer clari ed the presence of a diphenyl phosphine moiety at initiation, con rming that the anionic polymerization was initiated by nucleophilic attack of the phosphide anion on the epoxide. In addition, compared to various basic catalysts such as phosphines and amines, KPPh 2 catalyzed the ring-opening addition of epoxide with o-cresol much more e ciently, demonstrating its potential for application to epoxy-phenol curing systems.