LAUSR

The high refractive index aromatic compound, binaphthol (BINOL), is readily incorporated into silicone polymer chains using the Piers-Rubinsztajn reaction; alternating and random linear copolymers, and elastomers are available. The highest refractive index (RI) materials were BINOL rich. It was not possible to directly make high refractive index linear polymers with very short HSi-capped, telechelic silicone chains, as they did not react cleanly. However, chain extending short vinyl-capped BINOL macromers with simple arylsilanes using hydrosilylation led to polymers with molar mass up to 8000 and refractive indices up to 1.58. Elastomers were prepared using similar processes. The reactions are facile to practice and suggest BINOL could be harnessed in these and other processes to augment RI. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.