Synthesis of Polysulfides Containing Polar Linkages

Polysulfide polymers are usually prepared from dihalogen compounds and sodium polysulfide and are used as synthetic rubbers. Also, polyamides or polyurethanes, such as Nylon 66, Perlon U (Igamid U) or Vulcollan, are used because of certain good properties. Therefore, if new polysulfide polymers could be produced when sodium polysulfide reacts with a dihalide having a polar linkage such as an amide group, we might expect excellent properties in the new materials because they might contain urethane, urea or amide linkages. We now show that dichloro compounds, which contain urethane linkages, can be prepared by the reaction between a chlorohydrin (ethylene chlorohydrin or 4-chlorobutanol-l) and polymethylene diisocyanate (where n=3, 4, 6 and 8 in (CH2)n).