Cellulose-Monomer Interaction and a Revised Mechanism for Graft Copolymerization

Graft copolymerization of electron acceptor acrylic monomers on cellulose involves cellulose-monomer complexation. Cellulose acts as a matrix promoting high localized concentrations of donor-acceptor complexes in which uncomplexed monomer, normally an electron acceptor, behaves as a donor relative to the complexed monomer which has been converted to a stronger acceptor. The cellulose-monomer complexation influences both homopolymerizability and grafting efficiency, e. g. acrylonitrile (AN) and methacrylonitrile (MAN) in the presence of a catalyst and methyl methacrylate (MMA) in the absence of a catalyst. The presence of water, cupric ion, aldehydes, and CCU influence the course of the uncatalyzed reaction. When a donor monomer is present, equimolar alternating rather than random, grafted and ungrafted copolymers are produced, e. g., styrene or butadiene with MMA, MAN, or AN, as a result of the formation of an ordered array of donor-acceptor complexes on the cellulose. The revised mechanism of polymerization involves the homopolymerization of the donor-acceptor complexes, irrespective of the nature of the initiator, and grafting results from termination of the propagating chains by coupling with radicals on the cellulose.     

Alternating copolymerizations of styrene and acrylic monomers initiated with carbanions in the presence of ZnCl2

On electrochemical initiation of alternating copolymerizations of styrene–acrylonitrile (AN) and styrene–diethyl fumarate (DEF) in the presence of ZnCl₂, radical anions of AN–ZnCl₂ and DEF–ZnCl₂ complexes produced at the cathode were assumed to initiate copolymerization. In analogy with the cathode-initiated copolymerization, the radical anions of AN–ZnCl₂ and DEF–ZnCl₂, generated with the carbanions such as sodium naphthalene, disodium α-methylstyrene tetramer dianion, and butyllithium, were also found to produce alternating copolymers of styrene–AN and styrene–DEF. On the contrary, no polymers were obtained from methyl methacrylate (MMA)–styrene and methacrylonitrile (MAN)–styrene in the presence of ZnCl₂ either with carbanions or by electrochemical reduction. Styrene–MAN–ZnCl₂ yielded an alternating copolymer with carbanions upon introduction of oxygen.     

SPONTANEOUS COPOLYMERIZATION OF 4-METHYLENE-1,3-DIOXOLANE DERIVATIVES WITH ACRYLONITRILE AND SUBSTITUENT EFFECT

The copolymerization of six 2-substituted 4-methylene-1, 3-dioxolane with aerylonitrile(AN) gives rise spontaneously to the alternating copolymers by the participation of charge-transfer(CT) complexes. The structures of copolymers was ascertained by their IR, ~1H and ~(13)C NMR spectra, etc.. The electron effect of suhstituents on 2-position of monomer 2 is the most important factor in predicting the reactivity of CT complexes. However the steric effect determines the ring-opening degree of monomer 2. The spontaneous copolymerization mechanism has been discussed.     

Donor–acceptor complexes in copolymerization. XLIX. Cationic polymerization of donor monomers in presence of polar solvents and acrylic monomers. A revised mechanism for polymerization of comonomer complexes

α-Methylstyrene (MS) and isobutyl vinyl ether (VE) readily polymerize, styrene (S) polymerizes to a small extent, and isobutylene (IB), butadiene (BD), and isoprene (IP) fail to polymerize in the presence of catalytic amounts of AlCl₃ when propionitrile, ethyl propionate, and methyl isobutyrate are used as reaction media. MS polymerizes readily and S polymerizes with difficulty in the presence of AlCl₃ to yield homopolymers when acrylonitrile (AN) is present and copolymers with ethyl acrylate (EA) and methyl methacrylate (MMA). VE readily homopolymerizes, while IB, BD, and IP fail to polymerize in the presence of AlCl₃ and the acrylic monomers. VE readily homopolymerizes, S and MS polymerize to a very small extent, and IB, BD, and IP do not polymerize in the presence of ethylaluminum sesquichloride (EASC) in polar solvents. VE readily homopolymerizes in the presence of EASC and the acrylic monomers. MS polymerizes to a small extent in the presence of EASC and the acrylic monomers to yield equimolar copolymers with EA and MMA and a mixture of cationic homopolymer and equimolar copolymer with AN. S yields equimolar copolymers in low yield in the presence of EASC and the acrylic monomers. IB, BD, and IP in the presence of EASC do not polymerize to any significant extent when EA is present, form AN-rich copolymers and yield poly(methyl methacrylate) in the presence of MMA. A revised mechanism is presented for the formation of cationic, radical, random, and alternating copolymers as well as alternating copolymer graft copolymers in the copolymerization of donor and acceptor monomers.     

On some side reactions in the initiation of acrylonitrile,methacrylonitrile and methyl methacrylate anionic polymerization with anion-radicals of aromatic nitriles and ketones

It is shown that the active centres in the anionic polymerization of acrylonitrile (AN), methacrylonitrile (MAN), and methyl methacrylate (MMA) are able to attach to the cyano groups of some aromatic nitriles and to the carbonyl group of benzophenone. The interaction of MMA, AN and MAN anions with benzophenone is comparatively rapid, but negligible (MMA) or very slow (AN, MAN) with the aromatic nitriles. Electron transfer from the active ends to the ketone or the nitrile occurs with the process of monomer addition. It is the predominant reaction on mixing benzophenone and nitriles with alkaline salts of α-methylstyrene, leading even to the formation of the benzophenone dianion.     

Copolymerization of 2-methylene-4-phenyl-1,3-dioxolane with electrophilic vinyl monomers through zwitterionic mechanism

Spontaneous copolymerization of cyclic ketene acetal, 2-methylene-4-phenyl-1,3-dioxolane ( I ) with common electrophilic vinyl monomers, such as methyl α-cyanoacrylate (MCA), acrylonitrile (AN), and methyl methacrylate (MMA) were investigated to further explore zwitterion polymerization method with cyclic ketene acetals. In the reaction of I with MCA and AN, spontaneous copolymerization took place at ambient temperature. The copolymers of I with MCA gave low molecular weight polymers, but copolymers obtained with I and AN were high molecular weight polymers. In the reaction of I and MMA, high molecular weight copolymer was obtained only at temperatures above 80°C. Thus, obtained polymers were not the alternating copolymers and possessed high I content in all the cases. From the above results, macrozwitterionic mechanism was suggested as discussed.     

Donor-Acceptor Complexes in Copolymerization. XXVI. Effect of Solvent,Temperature, and Complexing Agent on the Polymerization of Comonomer Charge Transfer Complexes

The copolymerization of styrene with methyl methacrylate (S/MMA = 4/1) or acrylonitrile (S/AN = 1/1) in the presence of ethylaluminum sesquichloride (EASC) yields 1/1 copolymer in toluene or chlorobenzene. In chloroform the S-MMA-EASC polymerization yields 60/40 copolymer while the S-AN-EASC polymerization yields 1/1 copolymer. In the presence of EASC, styrene-α-chloroacrylonitrile yields 1/1 copolymer (DMF or DMSO), S-AN yields 1/1 copolymer (DMSO) or radical copolymer (DMF), S-MMA yields radical copolymer (DMF or DMSO), α-methylstyrene-AN yields radical copolymer (DMSO) or traces of copolymer (DMF), and α-MS-methacrylo-nitrile yields traces of copolymer (DMSO) or no copolymer (DMF). When zinc chloride is used as complexing agent in DMF or DMSO, none of the monomer pairs undergoes polymerization. However, radical catalyzed polymerization of isoprene-AN-ZnCl₂ in DMF yields 1/1 alternating copolymer. The copolymerization of S/MMA in the presence of EASC yields 1/1 alternating copolymer up to 100°C, while the copolymerization of S/AN deviates from 1/1 alternating copolymer above 50°C. The copolymerization of S/MMA deviates from 1/1 copolymer at MMA/EASC mole ratios above 20 while the copolymerization of S/AN deviates from 1/1 copolymer at MMA/EASC ratios above 50.     

The thermal stability of copolymers of allyl alcohol with acrylonitrile and methyl methacrylate

Homopolymerization of allyl alcohol (AA) initiated by gamma rays and copolymerization of AA with methyl methacrylate (MMA) and acrylonitrile (AN) were investigated. The thermal stabilities of the homopolymers and copolymers were determined and their degradation activation energies calculated. The copolymers, P(AA/AN), obtained from AA + AN monomers were more stable thermally than those copolymers, P(AA/MMA), formed from AA + MMA monomer mixtures.     

Radical copolymerization of 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl methacrylate with cyano compounds for dielectric materials: Synthesis and characterization

The copolymerization of cyano (nitrile) monomers and a fluoroalkylmethacrylate is used to develop new dielectric polymers containing C-CN and C-F substituents. Methacrylonitrile (MAN), acrylonitrile (AN) and methylvinylidene cyanide (MVCN) were chosen as cyano monomers. 2,2,2-Trifluoroethyl methacrylate (MATRIF) was used as a fluorinated comonomer. The copolymers based on cyano monomers such as AN, MAN or MVCN, and MATRIF comonomers were synthesized by radical process initiated by AIBN. The yields of the copolymerizations were ranging between 40 and 60%. These copolymers were characterized by ¹H, ¹³C, ¹⁹F NMR and IR spectroscopy which showed that the percentages of incorporation of AN and MAN in the copolymers were 45%. However, only 5% of MVCN was incorporated into poly(MVCN-co-MATRIF) copolymer. Thermogravimetric analyses showed that the thermal decomposition occurred from 200, 230 or 240 °C for copolymers of MVCN, MAN or AN, respectively, and indicated that the process of degradation depends on the nature of cyano monomer.     

Syntheses and thermostabilities of N-[4-(N′-substituted aminocarbonyl)phenyl]maleimide polymers

Three types of novel N-[4-(N′-substituted aminocarbonyl)phenyl] maleimide (RPhMI: N-substituent (R) = phenyl, cyclohexyl, and cyclododecyl) were synthesized and homopolymerized under several conditions. In the copolymerizations of RPhMI (M₁) with styrene (ST; M₂) or methyl methacrylate (MMA; M₂), monomer reactivity ratios and Alfrey-Price Q, e values were determined. All homopolymers decomposed without softening and melting points. The initial degradation temperatures (T_d) of poly(RPhMI)s were over 320°C. The glass transition temperatures (T_g) of RPhMI copolymers were much higher than those of N-phenylmaleimide (PhMI)–ST, PhMI–MMA, N-cyclohexylmaleimide (CHMI)–ST, and CHMI–MMA copolymers. Thermal stability of the terpolymers of RPhMI with ST and acrylonitrile (AN) was higher than that of ST–AN copolymers, i.e., AS resin. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J. Polym. Sci. A Polym. Chem. 36: 2001–2012, 1998     

Alternating copolymerization of 1- and 2-vinylnaphthalene with methyl methacrylate by using diethylaluminum chloride

The alternating copolymerization of 1- and 2-vinylnaphthalene (1-VNap and 2-VNap) with methyl methacrylate (MMA) by using diethylaluminum chloride (Et₂AlCl) in toluene at 0°C has been studied. No polymerization could occur without Et₂AlCl, and alternating copolymers were obtained only when an equimolar amount of Et₂AlCl with MMA was supplied. Through ¹H-NMR analyses on both dyad and triad of alternating deuterated 1- and 2-α-d-VNap–MMA copolymers, each configuration could be described successfully by a single parameter, coisotacticity σ, whose value was estimated as 0.41 for the former and 0.56 for the latter copolymer, respectively. A rather low coisotacticity of copoly(1-VNap–MMA) was explained in the terms of steric effect (peri effect) of 1-VNap monomer.     

Poly(1,3-cyclohexadiene-alt-α-fluoroacrylonitrile): Synthesis and structural analysis of a new alternating copolymer

Poly(1,3-cyclohexadiene-alt-α-fluoroacrylonitrile) [poly(1,3-CHD/α-FAN)], an alternating copolymer of α-fluoroacrylonitrile and 1,3-cyclohexadiene has been prepared in bulk using varied monomer feed ratios and AIBN as initiator at 65°C. Elemental and ¹H-NMR analyses indicate that the copolymer contains an equimolar composition of α-FAN and 1,3-CHD as observed for alternating copolymers with donor-acceptor polymerizations. A 2-D ¹H-COSY NMR experiment indicates that the copolymer contains 1,4-linkages across the cyclohexene unit while more reliable ¹³C-NMR spectra suggests the copolymer to contain both 1,2- and 1,4-linkages. Poly(1,3-CHD/α-FAN) exhibits improved thermal stability relative to the alternating copolymer of 1,3-CHD and α-chloroacrylonitrile due to a higher resistance to HF elimination relative to HCl elimination.     

Polymerization behavior of 1,2,2,6,6-pentamethyl-4-piperidinyl m-isopropenyl-α,α-dimethylbenzyl carbamate

Copolymers of 1,2,2,6,6-pentamethyl-4-piperidinyl m-isopropenyl-α,α-dimethylbenzyl carbamate (CB) with styrene (S) and with methyl methacrylate (MMA) were synthesized using AIBN as initiator. S–CB copolymers made from feed ranging from 0.45–0.94 mole fractions S and MMA-CB copolymers made from feed of 0.34–0.88 mole fractions MMA were used to determine the monomer reactivity ratios r₁ and r₂. The structure of S–CB copolymers was inferred to be mainly of a random nature and in the MMA–CB copolymerization system there is a stronger tendency to form alternating copolymers. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Initiation Mechanism of Alternating Copolymerization of Styrene with Some Electron-Accepting Monomers in the Presence of Zinc Chloride by Means of Spin Trapping Technique

Abstract

The initiation mechanism of spontaneous alternating copolymerizations of styrene (St) and some electron-accepting monomers such as methyl methacrylate (MMA), methyl acrylate (MA), methacrylonitrile (MAN), and acrylonitrile (AN) in the presence of ZnCl₂ was studied by the spin trapping technique, in which 2-methyl-2-nitrosopropane (BNO) was used as a spin trapping reagent. When this technique was applied to the alternating copolymerization systems of St-MMA-ZnCl₂, St-MA-ZnCl₂, and St-MAN-ZnCl₂, the 2-phenylvinyl radical (·CH[dbnd]CH[sbnd]C₆H₅) was trapped as nitroxide. The structure of this nitroxide, which showed a large coupling constant (19～20 G) by β-hydrogen, was confirmed by comparison with the result of authentic experiment Accordingly it was concluded that this nitroxide was formed through proton migration from the St cation radical to the acceptor monomer anion radical in the charge- or electron-transfer complex, followed by reaction with BNO.

In the St-AN-ZnCl₂ system, however, a nitroxide derived from a cyclic radical was observed together with the nitroxide from 2-phenylvinyl radical. This cyclic radical seemed to be produced via the Diels-Alder adduct between St and AN.     

Synthesis of phenanthridones using Diels-Alder reactions of 4-substituted 2(1H)-quinolones acting as dienophiles

Diels-Alder reactions of 2(1H)-quinolones having an electron-withdrawing group at the 4-position with 1,3-butadiene derivatives were carried out to give the phenanthridones richly functionalized under the conditions of atmospheric and high pressure. Furthermore, the reactivities of 4-substituted 2(1H)-quinolones acting as a dienophile were examined using MO calculation.     

Monomer sequence distribution in α-methylstyrene–methacrylonitrile copolymer

The sequence distributions of α-methylstyrene-methacrylonitrile copolymers have been determined quantitatively as a function of monomer feed composition and conversion at 60°C by use of the run-number concept. The azeotropic copolymer was found to be highly alternating. For this copolymer the data showed that 83% of the diad placements took the form of an AMS unit followed by a MAN unit, or vice versa. The triad sequence in which an AMS unit is centered between two MAN units was 92%. It was found that the AMS-AMS diad sequence is only 2%, and there were no AMS-AMS-AMS triad sequences in the copolymer. The sequence distributions were correlated with Izod impact strength and heat-deflection temperature properties.     

Stereospecific synthesis of new 4-amino-1,2,3-cyclohexanetricarboxylic acids and 4-amino-1,3-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acids

Diels-Alder adducts of 1,2-dihydropyridine with maleic and acrylic acid derivatives were stereospecifically converted by way of RuO4 oxidation into new 4-amino-1,2,3-cyclohexanetricarboxylic acids and 4-amino-1,3-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acids.     

Donor-acceptor complexes in copolymerization. L. Preparation and microstructure of chlorine-containing alternating conjugated diene–acceptor monomer copolymers

Neighboring monomer units cause significant shifts in the infrared absorption peaks attributed to cis- and trans-1,4 units in conjugated diene-acceptor monomer copolymers. Conjugated diene-maleic anhydride alternating copolymers apparently have a predominantly cis-1,4-structure, while alternating diene-SO₂ copolymers have a predominantly trans-1,4 structure. Alternating copolymers of butadiene, isoprene, and pentadiene-1,3 with α-chloroacrylonitrile and methyl α-chloroacrylate, prepared in the presence of Et_1.5AlCl_1.5(EASC), have trans-1,4 unsaturation. Alternating copolymers of chloroprene with acrylonitrile, methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, α-chloroacrylonitrile, and methyl α-chloroacrylate prepared in the presence of EASC-VOCl₃ have trans-1,4 configuration. The reaction between chloroprene and acrylonitrile in the presence of AlCl₃ yields the cyclic Diel-Alder adduct in the dark and the alternating copolymer under ultraviolet irradiation. The equimolar, presumably alternating, copolymers of chloroprene with methyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate undergo cyclization at 205°C to a far lesser extent than theoretically calculated, to yield five and seven-membered lactones. The polymerization of chloroprene in the presence of EASC and acetonitrile yields a radical homopolymer with trans-1,4 unsaturation.     

Copolymers of methyl methacrylate and fluoroalkyl methacrylates: Effects of fluoroalkyl groups on the thermal and optical properties of the copolymers

Fluoroalkyl methacrylates, 2,2,2‐trifluoroethyl methacrylate ( 1 ), hexafluoroisopropyl methacrylate ( 2 ), 1,1,1,3,3,3‐hexafluoro‐2‐methyl‐2‐propyl methacrylate ( 3 ), and perfluoro t‐butyl methacrylate ( 4 ) were synthesized. Homopolymers and copolymers of these fluoroalkyl methacrylates with methyl methacrylate (MMA) were prepared and characterized. With the exception of the copolymers of MMA and 2,2,2‐trifluoroethyl methacrylate ( 1 ), the glass transition temperatures (T_gs) of the copolymers were found to deviate positively from the Gordon‐Taylor equation. The positive deviation from the Gordon‐Taylor equation could be accounted for by the dipole–dipole intrachain interaction between the methyl ester group and the fluoroalkyl ester group of the monomer units. These T_g values of the copolymers were found to fit with the Schneider equation. The fitting parameters in the Schneider equation were calculated, and R² values, the coefficients of determination, were almost 1.0. The refractive indices of the copolymers, measured at 532, 633, and 839 nm wavelengths, were lower than that of PMMA and showed a linear relationship with monomer composition in the copolymers. 2 and MMA have a tendency to polymerize in an alternating uniform monomer composition, resulting in less light scattering. This result suggests that the copolymer prepared with an equal molar ratio of 2 and MMA may have useful properties with applications in optical devices. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 4748–4755, 2008     

Preparation of 2-BF3-substituted 1,3-dienes and their Diels-Alder/cross-coupling reactions

[reaction: see text] 2-BF3-substituted 1,3-butadienes with potassium and tetrabutylammonium counterions have been prepared in gram quantities from chloroprene via a simple synthetic procedure. The potassium salt of this new main group element substituted diene has been characterized by 1H, 13C, 11B, and 19F NMR. Diels-Alder reactions of these dienes with ethyl acrylate and methyl vinyl ketone are reported, as well as subsequent Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of those Diels-Alder adducts.