Thermoresponsive reversible nucleophilic exchange of quaternary anilinium salts has been explored in model studies at 60 °C. The overall exchange has been found to be dissociative in nature via double S<sub>N</sub>2 type mechanism. Initially nucleophilic attack of bromide anion dissociates the anilinium salt to provide an alkyl bromide, which subsequently forms new anilinium salt by the attack of a free aniline group and eventually the exchanges reaches equilibrium. Based on the model study, a quaternary anilinium salt crosslinker was synthesized and used as dynamic linkages for crosslinked polymer network. Polymeric materials showed dynamic properties such as healing and malleability properties in response to mild thermal stimulus (60 °C). In addition, these materials are mechanically stable at ambient conditions as dynamic linkages are mostly static at room temperature, but get activated at elevated temperature (60 °C). Overall, utilizing dynamic exchange of anilinium salts at polymeric materials provides dynamic properties at relatively low temperature, while preserving the mechanical stability at ambient conditions.

Mild thermally induce reversible exchange of anilinium salts for mechanically stable dynamic polymeric materials

2019 Spring National Meeting

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