Synthesis and properties of regio-regular poly(2-furyloxirane) using tri-isobutyl aluminium as catalyst

2-Furyloxirane(FO) with purity of over 99% was prepared in 80% yield by epoxidation of furfural with trimethylsulfonium chloride and potassium hydroxide in acetonitrile/water solution. Polymerization of FO was realized using tri-isobutyl aluminum (Al(i-Bu)3) as catalyst, when Al(i-Bu)3 concentration was 0.009 mol/L, poly(2-furyloxirane)(PFO) with M n of 3.4 kg/mol and a polydispersity index of 1.5 was obtained in yield of 88% after polymerization at 25 °C for 48 h. The corresponding PFO showed glass transition temperature (T g ) of Ca. 1 °C and 5 wt% thermal decomposition temperature(T d ) of 260 °C. The obtained PFO was almost 100% head-to-tail structure, and it was a good plasticizer and thermal stabilizer for poly(propylene carbonate)(PPC), an alternate copolymer of propylene oxide and carbon dioxide. For PFO/PPC polyblend with PFO loading of 2 wt%, its T d increased by 50 °C from 214 °C of pure PPC to 264 °C, while its elongation at break increased from 13% of pure PPC to 29%.