Lilia Bazyliak, Michael Bratychak, Witold Brostow

Departments of Materials Science and Chemestry, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203-5310, USA

ABSTRACT

Oligomers containing peroxy groups have been synthesized on the basis of epoxides and organic hydroperoxides. Dependence of reaction rates upon the ratio or starting materials, nature, quantity, concentration of ammonium salm catalysts, temperature and also nature of hydroperoxides have been investigated. Ativation energies and effective rate constants of reactions between hydroperoxides and epoxy resins were calculated. The reaction proceeds by interfacial catalysis, and therefore with poor yields in solvents which are miscible with water (acetone and 1.4-dioxane) and with good yields in immiscible solvents (chloroform and toluene). Structures of the synthesized peroxy oligomers have been confirmed by IR-spectroscopy.

Key words: Epoxy; Peroxy; Ammonium salt; Peroxy oligomer; Hydroperoxy; Interfacial catalysis