The Oxidative Polymerization of 2, 6-Xylenol in the Solvents Mixed with Pyridine

Abstract

The catalytic activity of the copper-pyridine comPlex on the, polymerization of 2, 6-xylenol was studied in var-ious solvents which, t were classified into two groups from the results in Fig.1 and Fig.2. One is composed of pyridine and an amphiprotic solvent, . and the other pyridine and an apretic solvent. In the former, the minimum catalytic activity appears at the intermediate composition, and this seems to be due to the ehange on the complex compdsition. From, the kinetic data it is suggested that the rate-determining step, of the polyn terizatien is the electron-transfer(k3) or the dissociatien of the activated substrate (kd). In benzene the high eatalytic activity of Cu-Py is due to the effect of the activation entropy.