Chemical modification of 3-mercaptopropionic acid-substituted poly(chlorotrifluoroethylene)

When poly(chlorotrifluoroethylene) is reacted with the dianion of 3-mercaptopropionic acid, a substituted polymer with pendant carboxylic acid functionality is produced. Further reactions, such as esterification and reduction to the alcohol, can be performed on the acid groups. Chemical transformation of the alcohol produced the corresponding tosylate, halide, trimethylsiloxy, and trichloroacetate derivatives. By increasing the variety of functionality available, the possible utilizations of these polymers as reactive polymers and as solid phases in chromatography are thus increased.