HALATO-TELECHELIC POLYMERS: IX. SOME SPECIFIC PROPERTIES OF DICARBOXYLATO POLYMERS BASED ON GROUP IVB METAL IONS.

Because of the depressive effect of any polar compound on the ionic aggregation in mono-and divalent cation- alpha , omega -carboxylato polymers, drastic conditions are required for the synthesis of representative and reproducible materials. Highly reactive metal alkoxides must be added in stoichiometric quantitites and under an inert atmosphere into a carefully dried solution of the carboxy telechelic prepolymer. The neutralization of carboxy telechelic polymers by transition metals of group IVb (Ti, Zr, etc. ), which are generally covalent in nature, was undertaken; and the use of metals of this group produced polymers stable in contact with atmospheric moisture. In fact, in this case humidity was necessary for forming an efficiently cross-linked material. Metals of group IIIa produced similarly favorable results.