Synthesis of a new type diethyl-amine anion exchange resins based on crosslinked polystyrene

A new method for preparing the anion-exchange resin was studied, in which the chloroacetyl group was introduced into styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer (PS) by Friedel-Crafts acetylation, and then via animation the weak-base ion exchange resins were obtained. In this method, the using of some carcinogenic compounds (chloromethyl ether etc.) are avoided, and by-reactions, such as secondary cross-link, and multi-substitution, can be eliminated. The effects of different solvents on animation were discussed, and the reaction conditions, such as the reaction time, reaction temperature and the amount of reagents, were optimized by using the mathematical software, Statistica 6.0. The final optimum conditions obtained are as follows. The amount of solvent used is 5 mL·g^-1, reaction temperature 70°C, molar ratio of diethyl-amine: chloroacethyl 12:1 and the reaction time 2 h. Under the above conditions, the maximum loading of the diethyl-amine can be up to 3.5 mmol·(g resin)^-1.