A new method for purification of 2-methyl-2-oxazoline using citric acid was developed and living cationic ring-opening polymerization of 2-methyl-2-oxazoline was carried out. Polymerization was conducted in acetonitrile using benzyl chloride-boron trifluoride etherate initiating system. According to DSC data, the temperature range of melting of the crystalline phase of the resulting polymer was 95-180 °C. According to small-angle X-ray scattering and wide-angle X-ray diffraction data, the degree of crystallinity of the polymer was 12%. Upon cooling of the polymer melt, the polymer became amorphous. Using thermogravimetric analysis, it was found that the thermal destruction of poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) started above 209 °C.
Keywords: 2-methyl-2-oxazoline; crystallinity; oxazolines; poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline); polyoxazolines.