Stereochemistry of copolymerization of carbon dioxide with epoxycyclohexane

Abstract

Abstract Copolymerization of carbon dioxide with 1.2‐epoxycyclohexane (EPCH) and with 1.4‐epoxycyclohexane was examined. 1.2‐Epoxycyclohexane was copolymerized with carbon dioxide by the diethylzinc/water system, but 1.4‐epoxycyclohexane was not polymerized by this catalyst. Determining the configuration of the EPCH unit in the EPCH/carbon dioxide copolymer by alkaline hydrolysis of the copolymer, it was found that the configuration at the carbon atom where ring opening of EPCH takes place was inverted during copolymerization.