Thermal Decomposition of 3-(2-Hydroxyethyl)-2-oxazolidinone

Abstract

3-(2-Hydroxyethyl)-2-oxazolidinone (HEOX) was prepared by treating ethylenecarbonate with 2-oxazolidinone. A polymer was formed by heating HEOX at 240 C with sodium hydroxide under nitrogen until the evolution of carbon dioxide ceased completely. The amount of evolved earbon dioxide, the change ef infrared absorption spectra and the hydroxyl content of the product were measured. These results indicate that the polymer is best represented by the poly(2-hydroxyethy1)ethyleneimine structure containing the urea-bond and the etherbond in the polymer chain. This polymer was insoluble in common organic solvents.