Role of the Polymer Backbone in the Oxidative Properties of Polymer-Supported Dichromate

Abstract

Crosslinked co/poly(styrene-4-vinylpyridine)/ (1) was converted with hydrogen bromide or alkyl bromide to a pyridinium salt (2) which was further converted in water medium to various immobilized dichromates (3) with CrO₃. The insoluble reagent containing 0.6–1.0 mmol of dichromate on a gram of resin (depending on the structure of the polymer backbone) oxidized several secondary alcohols to ketones. The rate of conversion of alcohols to ketones depended on the structure of the polymer backbone, the structure of the alcohol, and the amount of water (5% or 20%) occluded in the reagent 3.