This study describes a new simple method for preparing deuterated poly(4-acetoxystyrene). The new
method offers cost-effective and alternative route to preparing deuterated polymers that otherwise have to
be prepared from the deuterated monomers. Deuterated poly(4-acetylstyrene) (ACPS-d4) and poly(4-
acetoxystyrene) (APS-d4) were synthesised from deuterated polystyrene under thermal reactions. The
polystyrene-d5 (PS-d5) was acetylated using cyclohexane as solvent instead of carbon disulfide (a highly
toxic and flammable solvent) and acetyl chloride as the acetylating agent. Using commercially available
reagents, the acetyl group was converted to an acetoxy group by Baeyer-Villiger oxidation. The oxidation
of ACPS was carried out with various agents and reaction conditions. The oxidation kinetics with
peracetic acid was followed by FT-IR spectroscopy. The duterated polymers were characterised by
nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The optimised
procedure will make future work using neutron scattering possible.
Keywords: polystyrene-d5, thermal reactions, Baeyer-Villiger oxidation

A descriptive study conducted in Hail city (north-western Saudi Arabia, has a population of 412.758 according to Ha’il Province in 2010). Study aim to assess knowledge of mother about acute diarrhea in children under five years in Hail city (north-western Saudi Arabia), and to assess the attitude of mothers of home management of acute diarrhea. A questionnaire was used to collect data from 522 mothers of children under five years old whom suffered from diarrhea during the last year were included in the study. Mothers whose children didn’t have diarrhea during the last year were excluded. Questionnaires were distributed directly to the mothers and through social media. The data were statistically analyzed using SPSS 19 program for Windows. The study started from October 2015 to February 2016, that included 522 mothers, most of the mothers are educated, and half of them were between 21-30 years of age. 37.4% of mothers increase fluid during diarrhea, most of them gives artificial feeding only. Also, half of the children showed sign of dehydration. It’s concluded that considerable number of mothers have unfavorable attitude towards the management of acute diarrhea at home. So, they need health education.
Key Words: mothers, home management, acute diarrhea, children, five years