Studies on hydroxyethylpolyvinyl alcohol

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Abstract
Hydroxyethylated polyvinyl alcohols (HEPVA's) containing 12, 19, and 35% combined ethylene oxide were prepared by a heterogeneous reaction between dry polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and liquid ethylene oxide. Another sample containing 18% was prepared by a more nearly homogeneous reaction in the presence of water. These derivatives may be analyzed satisfactorily by the modified zeisel method of Morgan. The properties of the HEPVA's are briefly described. Reaction of HEPVA with p‐toluenesulfonyl chloride showed that secondary hydroxyls were tosylated along with the primary and that the two reactions cannot be separated kinetically. This method, useful in estimating the primary hydroxyl content of hydroxyethylcellulose, cannot be applied to HEPVA. The stability of the tosylates indicated, however, that in derivatives containing up to 35% combined C2H4O2 ca. 1/2 ethylene oxide per vinyl alcohol unit, no polyethylene glycol chains were present and all combined ethylene oxide existed as individual hydroxyethyl groups distributed along the PVA backbone. Introduction of ethylene oxide into PVA increased the reactivity of residual secondary hydroxyls toward chemical reagents by destroying the normal high degree of hydrogen bonding and making adjacent domains more accessible for reaction. Very noticeable differences in properties were observed between HEPVA's prepared under differing conditions of heterogeneity. Two such polymers of similar ethylene oxide content showed quite different extents of reactions, susceptibility toward swelling agents, and x‐ray diffraction diagrams. These differences are attributed to a more random distribution of hydroxyethyl groups along the PVA backbone in the product of the more homogeneous reaction which leads to a more disordered system.

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