Effects of salt on the temperature and pressure responsive properties of poly(N-vinylisobutyramide) aqueous solutions

 We examined the effects of salt on the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) and lower critical solution pressure (LCSP) of aqueous solutions of poly (N-vinylisobutyramide), polyNVIBA, and compared them with those on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), polyNIPAAm. We found that the addition of salt (such as Na₂SO₄, NaCl, or KCl) decreased the LCST of aqueous polyNVIBA from 45 °C to below 20 °C, almost linearly with the salt concentrations and dependent on the type of salt. We observed a similar concentration-dependent decrease in LCST for polyNIPAAm. When KI or NaSCN was added to each aqueous polymer solution, some smaller increases in LCST were observed at relatively low salt concentrations; higher concentrations of salt gave an almost linear decrease in LCST. As for LCSP, the addition of most types of salt lowered the transition pressure, but the effects were much more dependent on the type and the valence of the salt (especially of anion) in both polymers. Salt with divalent anion showed a larger decrease in LCSP, but those with mono valent anion showed a relatively small decrease, even showed a slight increase at lower salt concentrations in the case of polyNVIBA. Salt with I^- or SCN^- showed evident increases in LCSP up to 1 M and was maintained higher than the control even at 2 M. We discuss the interactions of the amide group in the side chains of polymers and water and their perturbation by ions. Received: 13 November 1997 Accepted: 22 January 1998     

LITHIUM ION CONDUCTING POLYMER ELECTROLYTES BASED ON ALTERNATING MALEIC ANHYDRIDE COPOLYMER WITH OLIGO-OXYETHYLENE SIDE CHAINS

A comb polymer with oligo-oxyethylene side chains of the type -(CH_2CH_2O)_(12)CH_3was prepared from methyl vinyl ether/maleic anhydride copolymer and poly (ethyleneglycol) methyl ether. The polymer can dissolve LiClO_4 salt to form homogeneous amor-phous polymer electrolyte. The ac ion conduction was measured using the complex impedancemethod, and conductivities were investigated as functions of temperatures and salt con-centration. The complexes were first found to have two classes of glass transition whichincrease with increasing salt content. The optimum conductivity attained at 25℃ is inthe order of 5.50×10~(-6)Scm~(-1). IR spectroscopy was used to study the cation-polymerinteraction.     

Aluminum Solvate Complexes Forming in Acidic Methanol-Acetone Mixtures Studied by <Superscript>27</Superscript>Al NMR Spectroscopy

²⁷Al NMR spectroscopy is a powerful tool for the study of coordination and solvation in both aqueous and nonaqueous solutions. In this study, the complexes coexisting upon dissolution of AlCl₃ in acidic acetone + methanol solutions are shown to consist essentially of mixed hexacoordinated species of the general formula [Al(CH₃OH)_6−n (CH₃COCH₃) _n ]³⁺ (n=1,2 and 3), all exhibiting distinctly different ²⁷Al shielding effects. The relative populations of the various mixed species are found to be highly dependent upon the acetone:methanol mole ratio that in the more acetone-rich mixtures with aluminum become appreciably coordinated by acetone. The results demonstrate that the key factor for the formation of acetone-containing species in acidic methanolic solutions is having the CH₃COCH₃:CH₃OH mole ratio at 3:1.     

Helical Folding Competing with Unfolded Aggregation in Phenylene Ethynylene Foldamers

The folding and aggregation behavior of a pair of oligo(phenylene ethynylene) (OPE) foldamers are investigated by means of UV/Vis absorption and circular dichroism spectroscopy. With identical OPE backbones, two foldamers, 1 with alkyl side groups and 2 with triethylene glycol side chains, manifest similar helical conformations in solutions in n‐hexane and methanol, respectively. However, disparate and competing folding and aggregation processes are observed in alternative solvents. In cyclohexane, oligomer 1 initially adopts the helical conformation, but the self‐aggregation of unfolded chains, as a minor component, gradually drives the folding–unfolding transition eventually to the unfolded aggregate state completely. In contrast, in aqueous solution (CH₃OH/H₂O) both folded and unfolded oligomer 2 appear to undergo self‐association; aggregates of the folded chains are thermodynamically more stable. In solutions with a high H₂O content, self‐aggregation among unfolded oligomers is kinetically favored; these oligomers very slowly transform into aggregates of helical structures with greater thermodynamic stability. The folded–unfolded conformational switch thus takes place with the free (nonaggregated) molecules, and the very slow folding transition is due to the low concentration of molecularly dispersed oligomers.     

Synthesis of polyethers containing viologen moiety and their application to electron-transfer catalyst

Polyethers containing viologen moieties were prepared by the reaction of tosylated polyethers with bipyridine. Viologen moieties of these polymers having ? ((CH₂)₂? O? )_n ? chains were reduced into the cation radicals by sodium dithionite in dichloromethane, methanol, and benzene. The reduction of vicinal dibromide, ethyl 2,3-dibromo-3-phenylpropionate using these polymers as electron-transfer catalyst (ETC) was performed in dichloromethane to obtain ethyl cinnamate in good yield.     

Synthesis and characterization of polyimides from imidazole-blocked 2,5-bis[(n-alkyloxy)methyl]-1,4-benzene diisocyanates and pyromellitic dianhydride

From imidazole-blocked 2,5-bis[(n-alkyloxy)methyl]-1,4-benzene diisocyanates and pyromellitic dianhydride a series of new rigid-rod polyimides (C_n-PY-PI; n = 4, 6, 8) having linear and flexible (alkyloxy)methyl ((SINGLE BOND)CH₂OC_nH_{2n + 1}; n = 4, 6, 8) side chains were prepared and characterized and their properties were measured and discussed with regard to effects of side chains. Incorporation of the side chains onto the rigid main chain greatly enhanced the solubility and fusibility of the polymers, and melting point of C₈-PY-PI was determined to be 277°C. The UV-VIS absorption behavior was independent of side-chain length. TGA thermograms revealed a two-step pyrolysis behavior, in which the side chains split off separately at lower temperatures. X-ray diffractograms showed that all the polyimides are crystalline at room temperature. Sharp reflections in small-angle region obviously indicated the presence of a layered crystal structure. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Aqueous solution behavior of new thermoassociative polymers

A new kind of water-soluble polymer was obtained by grafting side chains, characterized by a phase separation on heating (Lower Critical Solution Temperature LCST), on a hydrosoluble backbone. For semidilute solutions, the side chains associate as the temperature exceeds a critical temperature (T _ass), which is close to their LCST. Microdomains are formed which act like physical crosslinking units between the main chains, and an increase in the aqueous solution viscosity is observed. Systems based on 2-Acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid (AMPS) backbone and polyethylene oxide (PEO) side chains were developed. Their rheological behavior in both dilute and semi-dilute states was studied by varying differents parameters such as polymer and salt concentrations, grafting ratio, etc. Fluorescence measurements indicate the formation of hydrophobic microdomains on heating, in agreement with the thickening properties of the solutions.     

The effect of electrolyte on the micellar charge and hydration of a polyoxyethylene sulphate type of detergent in aqueous solution

Summary Measurements of the electrophoretic mobilities of the micelles of the anionic detergent C₁₆H₃₃(OCH₂ · CH₂)₇OSO₃Na have been made in aqueous sodium chloride solutions over the concentration range 0-0.01 M and used to calculate the magnitude of the electroviscous effect and the micellar charge in these solutions. The micellar hydration, as assessed from viscosity data, is shown to decrease as the salt concentration is increased and this is thought to be a consequence of the lower micellar charge in the more concentrated salt solutions which allows a greater contraction of the ethylene oxide chains resulting in a loss of water mechanically trapped by the micelles.     

Polymerization of surface-active monomers. I. Micellization and polymerization of higher alkyl salts of dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate

Micellization of cationic salts of dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) quaternized with n-alkyl bromides such as octyl, lauryl, myristyl, and stearyl bromide and their polymerizations were investigated. The critical micelle concentration (cmc) in water at 25°C was determined by electrical conductivity and dye(azobenzene) solubilization methods and the relation log(cmc) = 1.46–0.31N was obtained, where cmc is in mmol L^?1 and N corresponds to carbon number of alkyl bromides used for the monomer preparations. All of these monomeric salts exhibited a high radical polymerizability in water and benzene. The polymerizations in water appeared to proceed with a higher rate with increasing a chain length of the alkyl moiety of the monomers and those in benzene gave the polymers with a remarkably high viscosity. The rate of polymerization of lauryl bromide salt in anisotropic solutions (in water and benzene) was exceedingly fast as compared with that in isotropic solution(in acetonitrile). All of the polymers obtained here were insoluble in water. Solubility characteristics of these monomers and polymers in other solvents were also presented. The reduced viscosity, in dimethylformamide and methanol, of poly(lauryl bromide salt) prepared in water increased with dilution but that for the polymer obtained in benzene exhibited an inverse concentration dependence. Some discussions were made on the peculiarities of the polymerizations of these monomers and the resulting polymers.     

Synthesis of thermally-induced phase separating polymer with well-defined polymer structure by living cationic polymerization. I. Synthesis of poly(vinyl ether)s with oxyethylene units in the pendant and its phase separation behavior in aqueous solution

Living cationic polymerization of alkoxyethyl vinyl ether [CH₂?CHOCH₂CH₂OR; R: CH₃ (MOVE), C₂H₅ (EOVE)] and related vinyl ethers with oxyethylene units in the pendant was achieved by 1-(isobutoxy)ethyl acetate ( 1 )/Et_1.5AlCl_1.5 initiating system in the presence of an added base (ethyl acetate or THF) in toluene at 0°C. The polymers had a very narrow molecular weight distribution (M?_w/M?_n = 1.1–1.2) and the M?_n proportionally increased with the progress of the polymerization reaction. On the other hand, the polymerization by 1 /EtAlCl₂ initiating system in the presence of ethyl acetate, which produces living polymer of isobutyl vinyl ether, yielded the nonliving polymer. When an aqueous solution of the polymers thus obtained was heated, the phase separation phenomenon was clearly observed in each polymer at a definite critical temperature (T_ps). For example, T_ps was 70°C for poly(MOVE), and 20°C for poly(EOVE) (1 wt % aqueous solution, M?_n ～ 2 × 10⁴). The phase separation for each case was quite sensitive (ΔT_ps = 0.3–0.5°C) and reversible on heating and cooling. The T_ps or ΔT_ps was clearly dependent not only on the structure of polymer side chains (oxyethylene chain length and ω-alkyl group), but also on the molecular weight (M?_n = 5 × 10³-7 × 10⁴) and its distribution. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Properties of aqueous salt solutions of poly(ethylene oxide)

The determination of the properties of aqueous salt solutions of poly(ethylene oxide) has been extended to cloud-point and θ-temperature measurements in sodium acetate, potassium fluoride, sodium thiosulfate, and potassium phosphate. The Hofmeister series for the decreasing effect of anion species in salting out the polymer is accordingly extended. However, the order of the effect depends on whether it is made on the basis of molar anion concentration the molar concentration of unit anion charge, or the ionic strength. Viscosity measurements on θ and non-θ solutions containing zinc sulfate, potassium fluoride, and potassium phosphate gave polymer dimensions (in addition to limiting viscosity numbers etc.), and characteristic ratios in good agreement with theoretical predictions (Abe and Mark), and enthalpy and entropy parameters χ_H and χ_s; the latter values, nominally ?0.14 and 0.63, are identical at 298 K for the three salt species.     

Synthesis of comb‐type polycarbosilanes via nucleophilic substitution reactions on the main‐chain silicon atoms

A series of comb‐type polycarbosilanes of the type [Si(CH₃)(OR)CH₂]_n {where R = (CH₂)_mR′, R′ = ? O‐p‐biphenyl? X [X = H (m = 3, 6, 8, or 11) or CN (m = 11)], and R′ = (CF₂)₇CF₃ (m = 4)} were prepared from poly(chloromethylsilylenemethylene) by reactions with the respective hydroxy‐terminated side chains in the presence of triethylamine. The product side‐chain polymers were typically greater than 90% substituted and, for R′ = ? O‐p‐biphenyl? X derivatives, they exhibited phase transitions between 27 and 150 °C involving both crystalline and liquid‐crystalline phases. The introduction of the polar p‐CN substituent to the biphenyl mesogen resulted in a substantial increase in both the isotropization temperature and the liquid‐crystalline phase range with respect to the corresponding unsubstituted biphenyl derivative. For R = (CH₂)₁₁? O‐biphenyl side chains, an analogous side‐chain liquid‐crystalline (SCLC) polysiloxane derivative of the type [Si(CH₃)(O(CH₂)₁₁? O‐biphenyl)O]_n was prepared by means of a catalytic dehydrogenation reaction. In contrast to the polycarbosilane bearing the same side chain, this polymer did not exhibit any liquid‐crystalline phases but melted directly from a crystalline phase to an isotropic liquid at 94 °C. Similar behavior was observed for the polycarbosilane with a fluorocarbon chain, for which a single transition from a crystalline phase to an isotropic liquid was observed at ?0.7 °C. The molecular structures of these polymers were characterized by means of gel permeation chromatography and high‐resolution NMR studies, and the crystalline and liquid‐crystalline phases of the SCLC polymers were identified by differential scanning calorimetry, polarized optical microscopy, and X‐ray diffraction. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 984–997, 2003     

Swelling of crosslinked poly-4-vinylpyridine

Polyvinylpyridine of molecular weight 0.77 × 10⁶ was crosslinked by 2.5, 5, and 10% BrCH₂C₆H₄CO(CH₂)₈COC₆H₄CH₂Br and by 10% ClCH₂C₆H₄CH₂Cl; quaternization of the gel was completed with n-butyl bromide. Swelling ratios in aqueous solutions of lithium, sodium, and 4-isopropyl-N-n-butylpyridinium bromide and in methanolic lithium bromide were determined. Selectivity increased in the sequence Li⁺ <Na⁺ <PrN⁺?C₅H₅. The Flory parameter χ₁, which measures interaction between solvent and polymer, decreased from 1.5 kT to nearly zero with increasing density of crosslinks in the aqueous solutions, and from 3 kT to 0.5 kT in the methanol solutions. The inverse proportionality of q^2/3 (q = swelling ratio) to the crosslinking density was approximately verified for swelling of the resins in water, methanol, and dimethylformamide.     

Hydrolysis and Oxidation Products of the Chemical Warfare Agents 1,2-Bis[(2-chloroethyl)thio]ethane Q and 2,2′-Bis(2-chloroethylthio)diethyl Ether T

Syntheses of diols of structure [HOCH₂CH₂S]₂(CH₂)_n in 86–95% yield from the sodium salt of 2-mercaptoethanol and Br(CH₂)_nBr (n = 1 to 5) or in 60–90% yield from 2-chloroethanol and NaS(CH₂)_nSNa (n = 2 to 5) are described. The diol [HOCH₂CH₂SCH₂CH₂]₂O was prepared in 82% yield from the sodium salt of 2-mercaptoethanol and [ClCH₂CH₂]₂O, and in 88% yield from 2-chloroethanol and [HSCH₂CH₂]₂O. Mono- and bis-sulfoxides and bis-sulfones of these species were prepared in generally high yield by treatment with an equivalent of KIO₄ in aqueous methanol, two equivalents of NaIO₄ in aqueous methanol, or four equivalents of H₂O₂ in trifluoroacetic acid respectively. The compounds are important analytical standards for investigating the fate of the chemical warfare agents sesquimustard Q and oxygen mustard T in environmental samples.     

Anionic graft polymerization of ethylene oxide on starch. II. Structure of the graft polymers

Starch–poly(ethylene oxide) graft polymers were prepared in DMSO at various monomer and starch alkoxide concentrations. Complimentary and varied information on the structure of the graft polymers was obtained from NMR and periodic acid oxidation of the polymers. From the NMR spectra of the graft polymers in pyridine containing a trace of HCl, which causes shifting of the resonance of the internal ? CH₂O? protons from the terminal ? CH₂OH protons, the polyethylene oxide content, the DP _n of the grafted side chains, and the efficiency of the alkoxides were calculated. With increase of the alkoxide concentration there was a small decrease in ? DP _n, and in the efficiency of the alkoxides in initiating graft polymerization. With increase of monomer concentration, there was only a small increase in ? DP _n but a large increase in the efficiency, indicating the existence of transfer reactions between the growing anions and the free hydroxyl groups on the starch. The results of he periodic acid oxidation showed that with increase of alkoxide concentration there was no significant change in the per cent oxidation of the graft polymers, but with increase of monomer, there was an increase in the participation of the secondary hydroxyl groups in initiation. This supports the NMR evidence for the existence of transfer reactions leading to ? DP _n values much lower than those calculated from [monomer]/[catalyst] ratios.     

NMR study on solubility of benzyl alcohol and its transfer free energy from D_2O to cationic micelle

A new kind of surfactant, [CnH_(2n+1)OCH2CH(OH)CH2N(CH3)3]Cl (n=12, 14, 16) was synthesized. The solubility of benzyl alcohol in micellar solutions was determined by 1H NMR method. The results indicate that the length of alkyl chains of surfactant affects the solubility of ben-zyl alcohol in 2.5 × l0~(-2) mol/L micellar solutions. The solubility of benzyl alcohol per liter of micellar solution is 0.095 mole for n=12, 0.115 mole for n=14, 0.165 mole for n=16. The transfer free energy of benzyl alcohol from aqueous phase to micellar phase is -24.29 kJ/mol for n=12, -24.37 kJ/mol for n=14, -24.49 kJ/mol for n=16.     

Study on thermal degradation mechanisms of comb polyacrylates containing long fluorocarbon side chains by TG/FTIR

Thermal degradation of two series of polyacrylates containing long fluorocarbon chains [abbr.: PF_nA {HCF₂(CF₂)_n−1  CH₂ O C(O) , n = 4, 6, 8, 10} and abbr.: PFF_nEA {CF₃(CF₂)_n−1  CH₂CH₂ O C(O) , n = 6, 8, 10}] was investigated by TG /FTIR. Thermal degradation behavior of polymers changed depending on the type of tie groups, which link the fluorocarbon chains to the main chain, and also on the length of fluorocarbon chains. It was clarified that the apparent activation energies (ΔE_a ) of PF_nA series obtained by Ozawa's method varied in the order of PF₄A > PF₆A > PF₈A > PF₁₀A, while those of PFF_nEA series having tie group of  CH₂ CH₂ O C(O) were almost constant. The results for PF_nA series (tie group:  CH₂ O C(O) ) are attributable to the shield effect of long fluorocarbon chains on the back‐biting reaction in the thermal degradation of comb polymers rather than the change of C C bond dissociation energy in the main chain. It was found that TG curves of PFF_nEA series were shifted to the lower temperature region than those of PF_nA. This result can be attributable to the scission of side groups followed by the evaporation of fluorocarbon compounds and carbon dioxide. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 2794–2803, 2000     

Multifunctional coupling agents for living cationic polymerization. I. Sodiomalonate anions for vinyl ethers

A series of multifunctional malonate anions, [Na^⊕?C(COOEt)₂CH₂]_mC₆H_6?m(I; m = 2–4), were examined as polymer coupling agents for the living cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers initiated with the hydrogen iodide/zinc iodide (HI/ZnI₂) initiating system. The bifunctional anion ( 2 ;I, m = 2), 1,4-[Na^⊕?C(COOEt)₂CH₂]₂C₆H₄, terminated living polymers of isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE) (DP _n = 10) almost quantitatively in toluene at ?15°C to give coupled living polymers with doubled molecular weights in 96% yield; the dianion 2 was dissolved in tetrahydrofuran containing 18-crown-6 for maintaining the solution homogeneous. The yield of the coupled polymers was increased with shorter living chains or in less polar solvents. Also by coupling via 2 , ABA block copolymers were obtained from living AB block polymers of IBVE and an ester-functionalized vinyl ether (CH₂?CHOCH₂CH₂OCOCH₃). Coupling of living poly(IBVE) with the trifunctional anion ( 3 ; I, m = 3) led to tri-armed polymers in 56% yield, whereas with the tetrafunctional version ( 4 ; I, m = 4), only three out of the four anions reacted to give another tri-armed polymer in 85% yield. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Polyamides from α,ω-oxaalkanedioic acids having long methylene chain units

Three series of polyamides were prepared from diamines (hexamethylenediamine, bis-5-aminoamyl ether, p-xylylenediamine) and α,ω-oxaalkanedioic acids of formula HOOC(CH₂)_mO(CH₂)_nCOOH, where m = n = 3–10, in symmetric structures, but m = 3 or 4 in unsymmetric structures. The melting points of these polymers were plotted against the number of carbon atoms of the oxaalkylene groups. The melting points of polymers from each diamine fell on three different curves according to the structures of the dicarboxylic acids: symmetric ? (CH₂)_nO(CH₂)_n? ; unsymmetric ? (CH₂)₃O(CH₂)_n? , and unsymmetric ? (CH₂)₄O(CH₂)_n? . A minimum melting point is observed at about the same point of the acid structure in every curve of the unsymmetric dicarboxylic acids. The marked depression in the polymer melting points around the minimum point is attributed to the increase of the entropy of fusion.     

Structural features of disubstituted polyacetylenes with bulky substituents at double bonds

The structural features of polyacetylenes carrying two substituents at double bonds with the general formula [-C(CH₃)=CR-] _n , where R = Si(CH₃)₃, -Ge(CH₃)₃, or CH(CH₃)₂, are studied. It is shown that the experimental IR and Raman spectra of the polymers and the theoretically calculated vibrational spectra for the model polymers consisting of three units coincide well with experimental data. All bands in the IR spectra are interpreted. The potential curves of internal rotation are calculated and constructed; high values of rotation barriers indicate a high rigidity of chains for all polymers of interest. The orthogonal arrangement of neighboring monomer units and, as a result, the absence of electron-density conjugation over the polymer chain are revealed. Charges on atoms and electron density on bonds of the monomer unit obtained from theoretical calculations indicate the presence of strong polarization of all bonds, including the -C=C- bond. This effect causes a shift in the frequencies of stretching vibrations due to double bonds in the IR spectra of polyacetylenes with Si- and Ge-containing side substituents toward the longwave region. For polyacetylene with hydrocarbon side substituents -CH(CH₃)₂, such polarization is absent.