Polyphosphazenes are the largest class of inorganic polymers, but due to irreproducibility of the polymerization for the parent polymer [PCl2N]n, they have yet to reach their full potential for viable applications. A reason for the irreproducibility is that mechanism is not fully understood, but it has been shown that superacids could play a significant role in the polymerization. One way to possibly improve the synthesis of [PCl2N]n is to have a better understanding of the thermal ring opening polymerization of hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene. Our goal was to follow the polymerization in a sealed NMR tube via 31P NMR. With this NMR study we hope to identify any possible superacids or intermediate species present to further understand this polymerization.

Monitoring the ring opening polymerization of hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene through NMR spectroscopy

249th National Meeting (2015)

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