Oxidative polymerization of 2,6-dimethylphenol by copper(II)chloride-amine complexes: effect of amines on polymerization activity

2, 6-Dimethylphenol (2,6-DMP) undergoes oxidative polymerization with CuCl2.2H2O-aliphatic amine complexes in a 70:30(v/v) o-dichlorobenzene-ethanol solvent. Unlike pyridine, polymerization occurs even in the absence of added base. Apart from basicity, factors such as steric effects and nature of ligand coordination to Cu(II) have profound effect on catalyst reactivity