Surfactant effects on heterogeneous polymer reaction: Nucleophilic substitution of poly(vinyl chloride) in water

Abstract

Abstract The reactions of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) with some nucleophiles such as azide, thiophenoxide and dithiocarbamate ions do not take place in water. These heterogeneous reactions are remarkably catalyzed by cationic surfactants. Urea and methanol which destroy hydrophobic bondings inhibit the reaction. On the basis of the experimental data it was assumed that the cationic surfactants are adsorbed on the surface of the suspended PVC powder and that the positive charges attract the nucleophiles.