2017Poly(propy1ene sulfoxide) -A first approach to a dipolar aprotic, water-soluble and reactive polymer SUMMARY:= 1 -2 . lo') to its corresponding sulfoxide (PPSO) is studied under a variety of experimental conditions: m-chloroperbenzoic acid in homogeneous chloroform solution ( -7 "C) and hydrogen peroxide or bromine in an interfacial chloroform-water system (20°C) lead to selective and quantitative oxidation under stoichiometric conditions with simultaneous chain degradation (M, (PPSO) = 0,5 -3 . lo4).The high density of sulfoxide functions affords to the PPSO chain a number of specific properties such as: a) solubility in dipolar protic (CH30H, CHC1, . . .) and aprotic (DMF, DMSO) solvents, the polymer coils being, however, strongly associated in aqueous solution, b) strong polarity of the bulk polymer, as shown by an "apparent local dipole moment" of about 4,l D, c) poor thermal stability, degradation starting at about 130°C under nitrogen, with a weight loss of 50% at 160°C (apparent activation energy E, = I 0 0 kJ . mol-I).The oxidation of atactic poly(2-methylthiirane) (PPS,