Post-polymerization modification of commodity polymers yields new applications for materials already produced industrially. Incorporation of small amounts of epoxides into unsaturated polymers such as polybutadiene expands their use for grafting and compatibilization applications, but controlled epoxidation of these polymers in a safe, scalable manner presents a challenge. Herein we describe the development of a reactor for the continuous flow generation and use of dimethyldioxirane (DMDO) and its application to the low-level epoxidation of unsaturated polymers. A continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) prevents reactor clogging by allowing solid precipitates to settle, enabling the pumping of a homogeneous solution of oxidant. Modification of relative concentrations, flow rates, and temperatures achieves variable epoxidation levels. This method has been demonstrated on gram scale.

中文翻译：

---

连续生成二甲基二环氧乙烷用于聚合物环氧化

商品聚合物的聚合后改性为工业生产的材料带来了新的应用。在不饱和聚合物（例如聚丁二烯）中掺入少量环氧化物可扩大其在接枝和增容应用中的用途，但以安全，可扩展的方式控制这些聚合物的环氧化是一个挑战。在本文中，我们描述了用于连续流产生和使用二甲基二环氧乙烷（DMDO）的反应器的开发及其在不饱和聚合物的低级环氧化中的应用。连续搅拌釜反应器（CSTR）通过允许固体沉淀物沉淀来防止反应器堵塞，从而能够泵送均匀的氧化剂溶液。相对浓度，流速和温度的改变可实现可变的环氧化水平。