Functional polymers and sequential copolymers by phase transfer catalysis. 18. Synthesis and characterization of α,ω-bis(2,6-dimethylphenol)–poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) and α,ω-bis(vinylbenzyl)–poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) oligomers

A novel and convenient synthetic method for the preparation of α,ω-bis(2,6-dimethylphenol)–poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO-2OH) is presented. It is based on the oxidative copolymerization of 2,6-dimethylphenol (DMP) with 2,2′-di(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylphenyl propane) (TMBPA) in a mixture of water–methanol or chlorobenzene–methanol. By using a 4/1 mole ratio of DMP to TMBPA and different solvent mixtures, it was possible to obtain bifunctional PPO-2OHs with number average molecular weights between 1000 and 5000. A phase-transfer-catalyzed etherification of PPO-2OH chain ends with a mixture of m- and p-chloromethylstyrene was used to synthesize α,ω-bis(vinylbenzyl)-poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide)s (PPO-2VBs). The thermal polymerization of the PPO-2VBs was studied by differential scanning calorimetry, and has demonstrated a very high thermal reactivity for this new class of reactive oligomers.     

水介质中2,6-二甲基苯酚的氧化偶合聚合

聚2,6-二甲基苯醚(PPO)是重要的工程塑料,一般采用在有机溶剂中使2,6-二甲基苯酚(DMP)氧化聚合的方法合成,这就需要溶剂回收装置和防爆反应器,且污染环境.从绿色化学观点出发,以水作为反应介质,不仅对环境友好,而且PPO不溶于水,容易分离.近年来,一些学者研究了在油/水两相或全水介质中使DMP氧化聚合合成PPO的新方法.本文主要综述了该方法的研究进展,包括DMP氧化聚合的机理,油/水两相或水介质中对聚合速率、氧化偶合选择性及PPO分子量等的影响因素.     

Synthesis and characterization of ABA triblock copolymers containing poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) as A blocks and tetramethyl bisphenol-A polysulfone as B blocks

α, β-Bis(hydroxyphenol) tetramethyl bisphenol-A polysulfone (PSUT) was synthesized by two different methods, one using a strong base, the other using a weak base. The bifunctional polysulfone containing tetramethyl bisphenol-A chain ends was exploited as a model telechelic that can be used for the preparation of ABA triblock copolymers containing poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO) as A segments and PSUT as B segments. PSUT and PPO were incorporated into triblock copolymers by an oxidative coupling copolymerization of PSUT with 2,6-dimethylphenol or by the redistribution of PPO in the presence of PSUT. The mechanism of block copolymerization is discussed. DSC studies indicate that short immiscible PPO and PSUT segments incorporated into a triblock copolymer do not exhibit phase separation. Polymer blends of the PPO–PSUT–PPO triblock copolymers with PPO homopolymer were analyzed by DSC. Both miscible and phase-separated blends can be prepared depending on the molecular weight of both PPO homopolymer and of the PPO segment present in the triblock copolymer. Polymer blends of the PPO–PSUT–PPO triblock copolymer with PSUT were miscible at all compositions.     

A novel synthetic method for preparing poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide)/polystyrene alloy in reactor containing aqueous medium

Considering the defect of solution polymerization of 2,6-dimethylphenol (DMP), the low molecular weight of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO) synthesized in water and difficulty in processing of PPO, a novel one-pot synthetic method for preparing PPO/PS alloy in reactor containing aqueous medium was proposed based on green chemistry. In the presence of styrene, DMP was polymerized to form PPO, and then styrene was in situ polymerized under the initiation of dibenzoyl peroxide (BPO) and dicumyl peroxide (DCP), finally thermodynamically compatible PPO/PS alloy was prepared. It was found that the introduction of styrene during the oxidative polymerization of DMP could increase the molecular weight of PPO. When styrene content was 50 wt%, for the synthesized PPO/PS alloy the yield and the weight-average molecular weight were determined to be 95% and 1.7 × 10⁵ for PPO, 93% and 2.0 × 10⁵ for PS, respectively.     

OXIDATIVE POLYMERIZATION BEHAVIOR OF 2,6-DIMETHYLPHENOL IN AQUEOUS MEDIA WITH POTASSIUM FERRICYANIDE

The effects of potassium ferricyanide,sodium n-dodecyl sulfate,sodium hydroxide and temperature on the molecular weight and the yield of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide)(PPO) synthesized in an aqueous medium were studied.It was found that oxygen in air had little influence on the oxidative polymerization of 2,6-dimethylphenol(DMP) in the aqueous medium,and potassium ferricyanide was only an oxidant during the oxidative polymerization of DMP.Sodium n-dodecyl sulfate could stabilize polymer particles...     

Synthesis and characterization of new telechelic poly(phenyleneoxide)s

New well-defined telechelic poly(phenyleneoxide)s (PPO's) were synthesized from 4-bromo-2,6-dimethylphenol and bi-phenolic compounds through phase transfer catalyzed aromatic nucleophilic substitution polymerization. Bisphenol-A (BPA), 4,4^′-biphenol (BP), hydroquinone (HQ) and 2,6-dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN) were employed as telechelic units. The composition analysis by proton-nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR) spectroscopy revealed that DHN was highly reactive compared to BPA and HQ, whereas BP was un-reactive in the polymerization process. The number average repeating unit (n) in telechelic PPO was estimated as n=17-19 and n=17-20 for DHN and BPA (or HQ), respectively. The reactivity of the bi-phenolic in PPO synthesis are confirmed as DHN > HQ ∼ BPA ? BP. The molecular weight determination by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and viscosity method suggest that the molecular weight of PPO decreased drastically with increasing amount of bi-phenolic units in the feed. The GPC chromatogram of PPO showed a bi-modal distribution, clearly indicative of formation of two different types of molecular weight chains, whereas the telechelic polymers have a mono-modal distribution with a narrow polydispersity. Thermal analysis by differential scanning calorimetry revealed that telechelic polymers are highly amorphous, like PPO, and no crystallization or melting peaks were observed in the heating/cooling cycles.     

Depolymerization of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) under oxidative conditions

Depolymerization of an engineering plastic, poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO), was accomplished by using 2,6-dimethylphenol (DMP) under oxidative conditions. The addition of an excess amount of DMP to a solution of PPO in the presence of a CuCl/pyridine catalyst yielded oligomeric products. When PPO (M(n)=1.0x10(4), M(w)/M(n)=1.2) was allowed to react with a sufficient amount of DMP, the molecular weight of the product decreased to M(n)=4.9x10(2) (M(w)/M(n)=1.5). By a prolonged reaction with the oxidant, the oligomeric product was repolymerized to produce PPO essentially identical to the starting material, making the oligomer useful as a reusable resource. During the depolymerization reaction, an intermediate phenoxyl radical was observed by ESR spectroscopy. Kinetic analysis showed that the rate of the oxidation of PPO was about 10 times higher than that of DMP. These results show that a monomeric phenoxyl radical attacks the polymeric phenoxyl to induce the redistribution via a quinone ketal intermediate, leading to the substantial decrease in the molecular weight of PPO, which is much faster than the chain growth.     

Catalyzed oxidation of 2,6-dimethylphenol in Triton X- 100 micellar solution

The oxidative coupling reaction of 2,6-dimethylphenol with H2O2 catalyzed by a copper(Ⅱ) Schiff complex in aqueous and Triton X-100 micellar solution under mild conditions was investigated. The kinetics of formation of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethyl-4,4′-diphenoquinone (DPQ) was studied. Rate constant k2 were obtained. The optimum pH for DPQ generation reaction is 7.25. The main product was DPQ in aqueous buffer solution, but PPE and the oxidized products of PPE remained in Triton X-100 micellar solution.     

Carboxylic-supported copper complexes as catalyst for the green oxidative coupling of 2,6-dimethylphenol: Synthesis,characterization and structure

Three new Cu(II) complexes with carboxylic ligand, namely {[Cu(qc)₂(py)]·4H₂O}_∞ (1), [Cu(qc)₂(4,4′-bpy)]_∞ (2) and [Cu(pc)(2,2′-bpy)(H₂O)]₂·H₂O (3) (Hqc = 3-hydroxy-2-quinoxalinecarboxylic acid, H₂pc = 4-hydroxyphthalic acid, py = pyrazine) have been synthesized and characterized. In both 1 and 2, each Cu(II) ion is coordinated by two quinoxalinecarboxylate moieties in the equatorial plane and two 4,4′-bpy or pyrazine units provide coordination in the axial positions, thus, resulting in a 1-D polymeric chain structure. Complex 3 has a dimeric structure in which two Cu(II) cations are bridged by two deprotonated pc^2? ligands and two 2,2′-bpy molecules. As heterogeneous catalysts, the title complexes showed high catalytic efficiency in the green oxidative polymerization of 2,6-dimethylphenol (DMP) to poly(1,4-phenylene ether) (PPE) in the presence of H₂O₂ as oxidant in water under mild conditions. Moreover, they allow reuse without significant loss of activity through four runs, which suggests that these catalysts are efficient, mild, and easily recyclable for the oxidative coupling of DMP. The preliminary study of the catalytic–structural correlations suggests that the coordination environment of the metal center plays an important role in the improvement of their catalytic efficiencies.     

Determination of residual chlorine by derivatisation with 2,6-dimethylphenol and gas chromatographic separation

Residual chlorine in aqueous solution is converted to 4-chloro-2,6-dimethylphenol, which is extracted into hexane and determined by gas chromatography. Relative standard deviations (n = 5) are 0.36–1.1% for chlorine concentrations of 8.6–0.01 mg l^-1 and chlorine recoveries are 99.2–101%. In the presence of dichromate (30 mg l^-1), relative standard deviations (n = 5) are 1.19–2.71% for chlorine concentrations of 9.3–0.1 mg l^-1. Oxidants and coloured solutes do not interfere.     

Catalysis of copper(II) chelate-amine complexes in the oxidative coupling of 2,6-dialkylphenols

The oxidative coupling reaction of 2,6-dimethylphenol and 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol with molecular oxygen was performed by using a series of copper(II) chelate complexes as a catalyst, derived from copper(II), β-diketone, and some Shiff bases. Under the applied reaction conditions, the reaction products of 2,6-dimethylphenol were poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (C? O coupling product) and 3,3′,5-5′-tetramethyl-4,4′-diphenoquinone (C? C coupling product), and that of 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol oxidation was only 3,3′,5-5′-tetra-tert-butyl-4,4′-diphenoquinone (C? C coupling product). The catalytic activity has been shown to be dependent on the properties of the copper(II) chelates used as catalysts and the mole ratios of amine ligand to copper(II) chelate (ligand ratio). The basicity and the steric bulkiness of the amine used as a ligand for copper(II) β-diketonato catalysts were found to be two of the main factors that govern the oxidative coupling mode (C? O and/or C? C coupling) of 2,6-dimethylphenol. The oxidative coupling activity of 2,6-dialkylphenol is discussed in terms of both the stabilities of the copper(II) chelates and of the copper(II) chelate-amine adducts. The rate of oxygen absorption for 2,6-dimethylphenol catalyzed by the copper(II) acetylacetonato-piperidine system is first order in oxygen partial pressure and zero order in 2,6-dimethylphenol concentration, respectively. A Cu(II)-oxygen, as an intermediate is suggested on the basis of the results obtained.     

The Synthesis of Poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide)/Polymethylmethacrylate Alloy in Aqueous Medium via a One-Pot Method

An environmentally friendly one-pot synthetic method based on green chemistry was developed to prepare thermodynamically partially compatible poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide)/poly(methylmethacrylate) (PPO/PMMA) alloy in water. The oxidative polymerization of 2,6-dimethylphenol in alkaline aqueous solution was firstly conducted and then methyl methacrylate (MMA) was added into the reactor before the end of polymerization. MMA could penetrate into PPO particles and then in situ reverse atom transfer radical polymerization (RATRP) of methyl methacrylate was initiated by 2,2'-azobis[2-(2-imidazolin-2-yl)propane] dihydrochloride after the oxidative polymerization. Both the oxidative polymerization of 2,6-dimethylphenol and RATRP of methyl methacrylate were catalyzed by the complex of CuCl₂ and 4-dimethylaminopyridine. Finally, thermodynamically partially compatible PPO/PMMA alloy was successfully prepared which possessed a multi-layer core-shell structure with two polymers embedded in each other.     

Bestrahlung von 4-allylierten 2,6-Dimethylanilinen in Methanol

Irradiation of 4-Allylated 2,6-Dimethylanilines in Methanol 4-Allyl-, 4-(1′-methylallyl)-, 4-(2′-butenyl)-, and 4-(1′,1′-dimethylallyl)-2,6-dimethylaniline ( 14–17 ; cf. Scheme 3) were obtained by the acid catalysed, thermal rearrangement of the corresponding N-allylated anilines in good yields. Aniline 14 , when irradiated with a high pressure mercury lamp through quartz in methanol, yielded as main product 4-(2′-methoxypropyl)-2,6-dimethylaniline ( 22 ; cf. Scheme 4) and, in addition, 2,6-dimethyl-4-propylaniline ( 18 ) and 4-cyclopropyl-2,6-dimethylaniline ( 23 ). The analogous products, namely erythro- and threo-4-(2′-methoxy-1′-methylpropyl)-2,6-dimethylaniline (erythro- and threo- 24 ), 2,6-dimethyl-4-(1′-methylpropyl)aniline ( 19 ), trans- and cis-2,6-dimethyl-4-(2′-methylcyclopropyl)aniline (trans- and cis- 25 ), as well as small amounts of 4-ethyl-2,6-dimethylaniline ( 26 ), were formed by irradiation of 15 in methanol (cf. Scheme 5). When this photoreaction was carried out in O-deuteriomethanol, erythro- and threo- 24 showed an up-take of one deuterium atom in the side chain. The mass spectra of erythro- and threo- 24 revealed that in 50% of the molecules the deuterium was located at the methyl group at C(1′) and in the other 50% at the methyl group at C(2′) (cf. Scheme 6). This is a good indication that the methanol addition products arise from methanolysis of intermediate spiro[2.5]octa-4,7-dien-6-imines (cf. Scheme 7). This assumption is further supported by the photoreaction of 17 in methanol (cf. Scheme 8) which led to the formation of 4-(2′-methoxy-1′,2′-dimethylpropyl)-2,6-dimethylaniline ( 28 ) as main product. The occurrence of a rearranged side chain in 28 can again be explained by the intervention of a spirodienimine 31 (cf. Scheme 9). In comparison with 14, 15 and 17 , the 2′-butenylaniline 16 reacted only sluggishly on irradiation in methanol (cf. Scheme 10). It is suggested that all photoproducts - except for the cyclopropyl derivatives which are formed presumably via a triplet di-π-methane rearrangement - arise from an intramolecular singlet electron-donor-acceptor complex between the aniline and ethylene chromophor of the side chain. Protonation of this complex at C(3′) or C(2′) will lead to diradicals (e.g. 33 and 34 , respectively, in Scheme 11). The diradicals of type 33 undergo ring closure to the corresponding spirodienimine intermediates (e.g. 31 ) whereas the diradicals of type 34 take up two hydrogen atoms to yield the photo-hydrogenated compounds (e.g. 21 ) or undergo to a minor extent fragmentation to side chain degraded products (e.g. 30 ; see also footnote 7).–Irradiation of 4-ally-2,6-dimethylaniline ( 14 ) in benzene or cyclohexane yielded the corresponding azo compound 38 (cf. Scheme 12), whereas its N,N-dimethyl derivative 41 was transformed into the cyclopropyl derivative 42 . The allyl moiety in 14 is not necessary for the formation of azo compounds since 2,4,6-trimethylaniline ( 39 ) exhibited the same type of photoreaction in benzene solution.     

Oxidative polymerization of 2,6-dimethylphenol catalysed by insoluble polymer copper complexes

Catalysis by insoluble polymerCu complexes was studied for the oxidative polymerization of 2,6-dimethylphenol. The polymerization was heterogeneously catalysed by the insoluble complex. The catalyst was readily recovered by filtration and could be re-used. Compared with the homogeneous system, the catalytic activity and the molecular weight of the produced polymer were lower for the insoluble polymerCu complex because of steric hindrance, low flexibility of the ligand part and low concentration of the effective copper ion.     

Rheological properties of poly(2,6-dimethylphenylene oxide)—polystyrene blends

The viscoelastic (VE) response of freeze-dried blends of polystyrene (PS) and poly-(2,6-dimethyl phenylene oxide) (PPO) has been studied as a function of composition, frequency, and temperature to examine the degree of rheological compatibility. When blended together, the relaxation processes of both molecular species exhibit the same temperature dependence. However, the temperature dependence of the VE response is a function of composition. It is shown that this behavior can be predicted from the measured glass transition temperatures by assuming the additivity of the free volumes of the components. The properties of the blends are compared at equal free volumes. The effective segmental friction factor is found to be independent of composition while the modulus of the rubbery plateau increases with PPO concentration. This result is interpreted as a change in the entanglement molecular weight M_e of the blends. When the changes in M_e are considered, the relationship between the zero-shear viscosity η0 and the 3.4 power of the weight-average molecular weight, commonly found for high molecular weight homopolymers, predicts the compositional dependence of η0 for the PPO–PS blends. It is concluded that the PPO–PS system forms a rheologically compatible blend.     

The influence of molecular weight on the reactivity of a vinylbenzyl ether macromonomer of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide)

The synthesis of a series of vinylbenzyl ether macromonomers of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO–VBE) with number average molecular weights between 1,000 and 27,000 and narrow molecular weight distribution is presented. The reactivity ratio r₁ was determined for the comonomer pairs methyl methacrylate (MMA) and butyl methacrylate (BMA), respectively (M₁), and PPO–VBE (M₂) over the entire range of molecular weights of the macromonomer. r₁ was determined by the single experiment intergrated equation. Since both the monomer and macromonomer present an induction period, it has been shown that the determination of r₁ from one single point experiment is not correct. Accurate r₁ values can be obtained from one single copolymerization experiment only when the comonomer conversions are determined at several different reaction times. The macromonomer reactivity (1/r₁) increases with its molecular weight up to about 5,000–7,000. Above these values its reactivity decreases. An attempt to explain this behavior based on the kinetic excluded free volume effect is presented.     

Luminescence quenching of tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) by 2,6-dimethylphenol and 4-bromo-2,6-dimethylphenol in sol-gel-processed silicate thin films

The luminescence properties of tris(1,2-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) (Ru(bpy)(3)(2+)), included in different organically modified silicate gel matrixes were investigated. Spin and dip-coated thin films were prepared from methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMOS) and methyltriethoxysilane (MTEOS). A blue shift in the emission spectrum of the MLCT excited state of Ru(bpy)(3)(2+) with respect to the aqueous solution was observed in all the films, practically independent of the reaction pH used to prepare the "sol," silane-derived precursor, and procedure used (dip-coating or spin-coating) to obtain the film. A bimodal distribution of probe sites in the films was obtained from modeling of the emission decays by a double exponential and from application of the exponential series method. The parameters of the decay components depended principally on the thermal treatment used in the processing of the films. The lifetimes decreased with the increase in the drying temperature of the films; at the same time, the emission spectra showed a red shift and the luminescence efficiency decreased. A luminescence quenching of the ruthenium complex in the films by 4-bromo-2,6-dimethylphenol and 2,6-dimethylphenol in aerated aqueous solution at pH 12 in contact with the film was also observed. The quenching plots obtained from luminescence intensities or luminescence intensity decay measurements showed a downward curvature. These plots could be fitted satisfactorily by a sum of two Stern-Volmer terms with quenching constants K(SV1) and K(SV2) associated with two different binding sites of the ruthenium complex. This result is indicative of the matrix microheterogeneity in the films and is fully consistent with the biexponential nature of the luminescence intensity decay profiles. The Stern-Volmer parameter values for both sites in the films suggest that only a low percentage of the probe is accessible to the quencher and its respective constant K(SV1) is lower than in water.     

Luminescent poly(phenylene vinylene) derivatives with m‐terphenyl or 2,6‐diphenylpyridine kinked segments along the main chain: Synthesis,characterization, and stimulated emission

Two new poly(phenylene vinylene)s containing m‐terphenyl or 2,6‐diphenylpyridine kinked units along the main chain were synthesized and were used as luminescent and laser materials. They were prepared from Heck coupling of 2,5‐didodecyloxy‐1,4‐divinylbenzene with 4,4″‐dibromo‐3′‐phenyl‐m‐terphenyl or 2,6‐di(4‐bromophenyl)‐4‐phenylpyridine. The kinked units along the main chain caused a partial interruption of the conjugation leading to emission at a shorter wavelength as compared with poly(p‐phenylene vinylene). The polymers presented blue‐green emission in solution and green‐yellow emission in the solid state with photoluminescence maxima at 465–497 and 546–550 nm, respectively. Polymer containing 2,6‐diphenylpyridine segments emitted at a longer wavelength than that containing m‐terphenyl and displayed higher quantum yields in solution (0.61 and 0.40, respectively). The influence of the solvent and polymer concentration on the photoluminescence characteristics was investigated. The photoluminescence properties of protonated polymer containing 2,6‐diphenylpyridine segments were investigated both in solution and in film. Amplified spontaneous emission and tunable laser action were also obtained from the two polymers. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 2214–2224, 2004     

Selective oxidative para C-C dimerization of 2,6-dimethylphenol

Mechanistic investigations on the oxidative coupling of 2,6-dimethylphenol have led to the development of a selective and efficient procedure to prepare 3,5,3',5'-tetramethyl-biphenyl-4,4'-diol, via a C-C coupling, mediated by a hypervalent form of iodine, i.e. (diacetoxyiodo)benzene and for which a mechanism is proposed.     

Chain extension of adipic acid and (or) succinic acid/butanediol polyesters with 2,2′‐(1,4‐phenylene)‐bis(2‐oxazoline) and adipoylbiscaprolactamate combined chain extenders

This paper provided an easy and flexible method to synthesize high molecular weight polyesters by polycondensation and chain extension. Low molecular weight polybutylene adipate, polybutylene succinate, and poly(butylene succinate‐co‐butylene adipate) (PBSA) were synthesized through melt condensation polymerization from adipic acid and/or succinic acid with butanediol. The prepolyesters obtained had different amount of ? COOH and ? OH terminal groups. Chain extension of them was carried out at 180–240°C using 2,2′‐(1,4‐phenylene)‐bis(2‐oxazoline) and adipoyl biscaprolactamate as combined chain extenders. The influencing factors of the chain extension were studied. At the optimal conditions, chain‐extended polybutylene adipate with M_n up to 39,100, polybutylene succinate with intrinsic viscosity of 0.99 dl/g, and PBSA with intrinsic viscosity from 0.73 to 0.81 dl/g were synthesized. The chain‐extended polyesters were characterized by IR spectrum, ¹H NMR spectrum, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), wide angle X‐ray scattering, and tensile test. The thermal analysis showed that chain extension often led to slight decrease of the regularity, the crystallinity, and the melting point. This deterioration of the properties is not harmful enough to impair their thermal properties and obstruct them from being used as biodegradable thermoplastics. The TGA showed that the chain‐extended polyesters were stable with initial decomposition temperature over 354.7°C. The tensile strength of the chain extended PBS and PBSAs with butylene adipate units less than 20 mol% was in the range of 18.95–31.22 MPa. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.