Robust and operationally simple synthesis of poly(bis(2,2,2- trifluoroethoxy) phosphazene) with controlled molecular weight, low PDI, and high conversion

Synthetically straightforward conditions have been developed for the preparation of poly(bis 2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy)- phosphazene with low PDI (<1.15) at high conversion (75-99%) and on a multigram scale. A combination of 31P NMR and GPC analyses demonstrate that molecular weight increases linearly as a function of monomer consumption, exhibiting first order kinetics with respect to monomer concentration up to high monomer conversion. Thus, the molecular weight can be controlled by varying the initiator (H2O) to monomer ratio.