BRIEFS Summary of papers published in this month's research quarterly, I B E C Product Research and Development
HYDROXYALKYL AND OLEFINIC SUBSTITUTED gemDIMETHYLCYCLOBUTANES
STEREOREGULAR POLYMERIZATION OF BUTADIENE WITH ALKYLALUMINUM CHLORIDES AND COBALT OCTOATE
Pinonic acid, obtainable from a-pinene by oxidation, is a convenient source for dibasic acids such as pinic, sym-homopinic, and norpinic acids. I n present work the acid function of these compounds was converted to diols by lithium aluminum hydride reduction and suitable derivatives of the diols were converted to olefins. T h e alcohols and corresponding olefins prepared and characterized were (listed as derivatives of 2,2-dimethylcycIobutane) 1,3-di-(2-hydroxyethyl)-and 1,3-divinyl- ; 1-( 2-hydroxyethyl)-3-hydroxymethyl- and 1-methylene-3-vinyl- ; and 1,3dihydroxymethyl- and 1,3-dimethylene-. A number of methods were studied for preparation of the olefins. Dehydrohalogenation of the chloroalkyl derivatives prepared from the hydroxyalkyls (diols) was satisfactory.
?'he warer or oxygen requirements foi t h e acti\.ation of t h c dirthylaluminum chloride cocnralyst with cobalt to produce a 98'; ( ' 1 5 1,4-polyburadienc was reported previously. T h e acti\.aticn is considcrcd to be the forinatioll of ttvo ~ l k ~ . l ; i l u r n i ncompounds ~u~~ diffcring in degree of Leicis acidity. Sr\.cral rracrions prcsuinrd to lead to rhc higher acid \vcre carried out on a inincr proportion of the dicthylaluminuin chloride. \\'ater is neither neces~ar).nor desirable in tl:e ethylaluminu~n se~quichloridr-cob~llt w t o a t r catalvst s)'stem. Pol;w solvents d o nat apprrciably alter tlic T I < 1,4-cntal~~sis \t.ith dieth!.laluminum chloride- \vater--robalr octoatc. but d o d:crca-:c the ratc or exti'nt of polyn~erizatioii1%it11 iilcrrasc. in the dielectric constant of r h r s o I \ . c n t . .A mcchanisiii oi colnlr cara1ysi.s of polybutndicne is proposer!.
Joseph D . Park, N . Lee Allphnn, Jr., Sam Kwon Chot, Robert L. Settine, and Glen W. Hedrick, Unzversnty of Colorado, Boulder, Colo.
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