Electron-transfer reduction of selected alcohols with alkalide K−, K+(15-crown-5)2 via organometallic intermediates
Abstract The course of the reaction of alkalide K − , K + (15-crown-5) 2 1 with selected alcohols depends on the kind of alcohol and the mode of substrate delivery. In the case of methanol, potassium methoxide formed initially undergoes destruction at the excess of 1 . It results in potassium oxide and methylpotassium. The latter opens the crown ether ring giving potassium tetraethylene glycoxide vinyl ether and methane. A similar course of the process is observed for propanol. Potassium glycidoxide is the main product formed in the reaction of 1 with glycidol. Its oxirane ring is opened at the excess of 1 . Organopotassium alkoxides, i.e., potassium potassiomethoxide and dipotassium potass…
Non-linear effect of 18-crown-6 in propylene oxide polymerization with potassium glycidoxide used as the inimer
A new initiating system containing potassium glycidoxide as the inimer and 18-crown-6 as the activator was used for propylene oxide polymerization. It was found that the rate of the reaction increased together with the crown ether concentration in a rather unexpected way. Two maxima of that parameter were found in the case of crown ether : inimer molar ratio equal to 3:1 and 6:1. On the other hand, the molecular weight of polymers showed two minima in those conditions. The heterogeneity of the reaction mixture and interactions between species present in the system could be responsible for the phenomena observed. The polydispersity of the polymers obtained was equal to about 1.2 and it was i…