Solid‐state thermolysis of poly(p‐t‐butoxycarbonyloxystyrene) catalyzed by polymeric phenol: Effect of phase separation

Thermolysis of poly(p‐t‐butoxycarbonyloxystyrene) (PBOCST) catalyzed by polymeric phenol in the solid state is very much dependent on the extent of phase separation. Poly(p‐hydroxystyrene) (PHOST, a thermolysis product of PBOCST) is not miscible with PBOCST. Therefore, this phenolic resin can not effectively catalyze the solid‐state thermolysis reaction when simply blended with PBOCST. However, if the phenolic functionality is forced to be in the vicinity of the t‐butoxycarbonyl (tBOC) group, the thermolysis takes place facilely at 130°C. The effect of casting solvent on thermolysis in PBOCST/Varcum films is also discussed. Copyright © 1986 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.