Nitro esters of oxetane and oxirane dialcohols as monomers for energetic dendrimeric co-polymers

Abstract. This work describes attempts for the synthesis and characterisation of core-shell type co-polymers of dendrimeric poly(3-ethyl-3-(hydroxymethyl)oxetane) core (pEHMO) and varying contents of either poly(3,3-bis(nitratomethyl)oxetane) (pBNMOxt) or poly(2,3-bis(nitratomethyl)oxirane) (pBNMOxr) shells. The structural and energetic properties of the 3,3-bis(nitratomethyl)oxetane monomer were re-investigated. As well, the synthesis and characterisation of the rather reactive 2,3-bis(nitratomethyl)oxirane monomer was revisited. The hyperbranched energetic co-polymers were prepared by sequential cationic ring-opening polymerisation using boron trifluoride etherate as the initiator. Characterisation was carried out by employing multinuclear NMR (¹H, ¹³C, ¹⁴N), IR spectroscopy and differential thermal analysis. Additionally, the effects of external stimuli on the produced polymers (impact and friction) were determined.