Synthesis of new poly-benzoylthiourea and thermal and surface properties

Two new benzoylthiourea polymers (BTP1/p1–3, BTP2/p2–3) were synthesized via reaction of substituted amines and terephthalodiisothiocyanate which is obtained by the reaction of terephthaloyl dichloride and potassium thiocyanate. As the phase transfer catalyst, poly(ethyleneglycol) dimethylether were tested. Substances ¹HNMR,¹³CNMR, Elemental analysis were characterized. Thermal properties of obtained polymers (p1–3, p2–3) were examined by using TGA-DTG, DTA analysis. It was observed that p1–3 lost 100% of its mass around 750 °C, p2–3 lost 76.52% of its mass around 850 °C. p2–3 showed better thermal stability compared to p1–3. Surface properties of polymers were examined with SEM. Surface area of benzoylthiourea polymers was measured by using the BET. A BET surface areas of 14.280 m²/g and 12.691 m²/g and was found for p1–3 and p2–3 (300 K), respectively and total pore volumes are 2,77 × 10⁻¹ cm³/g and 4,90 × 10⁻¹ cm³/g. Degradation reactions, mass losses, melting and decomposition points were determined by analysing curves. The mercury retention properties of the insoluble polymeric p1–3, p2–3 were analyzed by equilibrium reactions. The synthesized polymers also act as high-impact sorbents/sensors in the removal of trace amounts of Hg²⁺. In this study, it was observed that ~99,7% mercury from environmental sources such as water can be removed with low amount of resin despite the moderate BET surface area (when the resin surface areas after the modification of inorganic and organic polymers with thiourea were examined). In addition, the new benzoylthiourea polymers can be synthesized in 100% high yield. This study proposes the versatility of microporous benzoylthiourea polymers targeting various environmental challenges for the separation and detection of toxic metals. Although the basic structure of these compounds is considered as chromophore, oxochrome groups, aromatic rings and resonance structures and their electronic properties, photoluminescence/electroluminescence radiations could not be determined because the substances did not dissolve.