Stannic chloride-para toluene sulfonic acid as a novel catalyst-co-catalyst system for the designing of hydroxyl terminated polyepichlorohydrin polymer: Synthesis and characterization

•Liquid hydroxyl terminated polyepichlorohydrin.•A new catalyst co-catalyst combination of aromatic acid and Lewes acid.•A bi-functional PECH, suitable for polyurethane as polyol.•Effects of different molar ratios of catalyst co-catalyst on product quality.•Effects of various parameters on product yield and product quality.

Hydroxy terminated polyepichlorohydrin (PECH) was synthesized in good yield (85–88%) with improved functionality (2.01–2.53) and desired number average molecular weight (∼3000), using a novel catalyst-co-catalyst combination. The effect of various molar ratios (4–12) of p-toluenesulphonic acid and SnCl4 on molecular weight of PECH was investigated. Different polymerization conditions like temperature, time and monomer addition rates were found to have pronounced effect on molecular weight, polydispersity and functionality of the products. The molecular weight distribution and polydispersity of the synthesized polymers were determined by Gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Absolute value of Number average molecular weight (Mn) was established with vapor pressure osmometry and structural elucidations were carried out by FT-IR and NMR spectroscopic techniques. Terminal Hydroxyl groups were quantified by acetylation method and functionality was derived from hydroxyl value and Mn.

Graphical abstractStannic chloride-para toluene sulfonic acid was used as a novel catalyst-co-catalyst system for the preparation of PECH. Molecular weight distribution and polydispersity of the polymers were determined by Gel permeation chromatography (GPC).Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide