Synthesis of energetic polyethers from halogenated precursors

In the solid rocket propellant formulations an important component is the polymeric binder. Actually, the most used binder is hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene. However, the research is oriented toward the use of energetic polymers which, in addition to the binder function, should improve the propulsion capability of the propellant. In this respect, good candidates are oxetanic polyethers with azidic functionalities in their side chains. Considering the explosive character of such materials, their synthesis must be designed with attention to the safety of the process. In this note, the preparation of azidic copolymers is described and different synthetic strategies are discussed and compared.