Synthesis and structural analyses of poly (1, 2-cyclohexene oxide) over solid acid catalyst

The polymerization of 1, 2-cyclohexene oxide was carried out at 20 °C in dichloromethane with an acid-exchanged montmorillonite as acid solid catalyst. The effect of the amount of catalyst, solvent, and temperature was studied. A typical reaction product (PCHO) was analyzed by infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, as well as by gel-permeation chromatography and MALDI-TOF MS, X-ray diffraction, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The X-ray and DSC data show that PCHO is an amorphous substance. The mechanism of the polymerization appears to be cationic.