Cationic grafting from carbon black. VII. Grafting of polyacetals by cationic ring-opening polymerization of trioxane and 1,3-dioxolane initiated by CO+ClO4− groups on carbon black

The cationic ring-opening polymerization of trioxane and 1,3-dioxolane was found to be initiated by CO⁺CIO₄^? groups on a carbon black surface, which were introduced by the reaction of COCI groups with AgCIO₄. The activation energy of the ring-opening polymerization of trioxane was estimated to be 15.5 kcal/mol. In the polymerization system, poly(oxymethylene) and poly(1,3-dioxolane) formed were effectively grafted onto carbon black depending upon the propagation of these polymers from the carbon black surface; for instance, the grafting ratio of poly(oxymethylene) onto carbon black increased with an increase in conversion and went up to about 180%. Although the grafted chain of poly(oxymethylene) was subject to stepwise thermal depolymerization from the chain ends, the thermal stability of poly(oxymethylene)-grafted carbon black was improved by acetylation of hemiformal end groups. The molecular weight of ungrafted poly(oxymethylene) formed in the polymerization was determined to be 1.8–2.0 × 10⁴. Furthermore, the copolymerization of trioxane with 1,3-dioxolane, styrene, and other comonomers initiated by CO⁺CIO₄^? groups and the thermal stability of these acetal copolymer-grafted carbon black were investigated.     

Cationic ring-opening polymerizations of cyclic ketene acetals initiated by acids at high temperatures

Three unsubstituted cyclic ketene acetals (CKAs), 2-methylene-1,3-dioxolane, 1a , 2-methylene-1,3-dioxane, 2a , and 2-methylene-1,3-dioxepane, 3a , undergo exclusive 1,2-addition polymerization at low temperatures, and only poly(CKAs) are obtained. At higher temperatures, ring-opening polymerization (ROP) can be dominant, and polymers with a mixture of ester units and cyclic ketal units are obtained. When the temperature is raised closer to the ceiling temperature (T_c) of the 1,2-addition propagation reaction, 1,2-addition polymerization becomes reversible and ring-opened units are introduced to the polymer. The ceiling temperature of 1,2-addition polymerization varies with the ring size of the CKAs (lowest for 3a , highest for 2a ). At temperatures below 138°C, 2-methylene-1,3-dioxane, 2a , underwent 1,2-addition polymerization. Insoluble poly(2-methylene-1,3-dioxane) 100% 1,2-addition was obtained. At above 150°C, a soluble polymer was obtained containing a mixture of ring-opened ester units and 1,2-addition cyclic ketal units. 2-Methylene-1,3-dioxolane, 1a , polymerized only by the 1,2-addition route at temperatures below 30°C. At 67–80°C, an insoluble polymer was obtained, which contained mostly 1,2-addition units but small amounts of ester units were detected. At 133°C, a soluble polymer was obtained containing a substantial fraction of ring-opened ester units together with 1,2-addition cyclic ketal units. 2-Methylene-1,3-dioxepane, 3a , underwent partial ROP even at 20°C to give a soluble polymer containing ring-opened ester units and 1,2-addition cyclic ketal units. At −20°C, 3a gave an insoluble polymer with 1,2-addition units exclusively. Several catalysts were able to initiate the ROP of 1a, 2a , and 3a , including RuCl₂(PPh₃)₃, BF₃, TiCl₄, H₂SO₄, H₂SO₄ supported on carbon, (CH₃)₂CHCOOH, and CH₃COOH. The initiation by Lewis acids or protonic acids probably occurs through an initial protonation. The propagation step of the ROP proceeds via an S_N2 mechanism. The chain transfer and termination rates become faster at high temperatures, and this may be the primary reason for the low molecular weights (M_n ≤ 10³) observed for all ring-opening polymers. The effects of temperature, monomer and initiator concentration, water content, and polymerization time on the polymer structure have been investigated during the Ru(PPh₃)₃Cl₂-initiated polymerization of 2a . High monomer concentrations ([M]/[ln]) increase the molecular weight and decreased the amount of ring-opening. Higher initiator concentrations (Ru(PPh₃)₃Cl₂) and longer reaction times increase molecular weight in high temperature reactions. Successful copolymerization of 2a with hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane was initiated by BF₃OEt₂. The copolymer obtained displayed a broad molecular weight distribution; M̄_n = 6,490, M̄_w = 15,100, M̄_z = 44,900. This polymer had about 47 mol % of ( Me₂SiO ) units, 35 mol % of ring-opened units, and 18 mol % 1,2-addition units of 2a . © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 3655–3671, 1997     

Preparation and radical ring-opening polymerization of 2-substituted-4-methylene-1,3-dioxolanes

2-Methyl-2-phenyl-4-methylene-1,3-dioxolane ( IIa ), 2-ethyl-2-phenyl-4-methylene-1,3-dioxolane ( IIb ), 2-phenyl-2-(n-propyl)-4-methylene-1,3-dioxolane ( IIc ), 2-phenyl-2-(i-propyl)-4-methylene-1,3-dioxolane ( IId ), 2-(n-heptyl)-2-phenyl-4-methylene-1,3-dioxolane ( IIe ), 2-methyl-2-(2-naphthyl)-4-methylene-1,3-dioxolane ( IIf ), and 2,2-diphenyl-4-methylene-1,3-dioxolane ( IIg ) were prepared and polymerized in the presence of a radical initiator. IIa–IIf were found to undergo vinyl polymerization with ring-opening reaction accompanying the elimination of ketone groups in bulk. IIg was found to undergo the quantitative ring-opening reaction accompanying the elimination of benzophenone in solution to obtain polyketone without any side reaction.     

Novel photoinitiated cationic copolymerizations of 4-methylene-2-phenyl-1,3-dioxolane

Photoinitiated polymerization of 4-methylene-2-phenyl-1,3-dioxolane ( 1 ) was carried out using either tris (4-methylphenyl) sulfonium hexafluoroantimonate or 4-decyloxyphenyl phenyliodonium hexafluoroantimonate as initiators. ¹H-NMR analyses confirmed exclusive ring-opening while DSC and SEC were used to determine the glass transition temperatures (T_gs) and molecular weights, respectively. Photoinitiated cationic copolymerizations of 1 were investigated with several acyclic and cyclic monomers. Copolymerization of 1 with vinyl ethers and a spiroorthoester resulted in copolymers whose thermal properties were dependent on comonomer ratios. Copolymers of 1 and dihydrofuran or dihydropyran afforded soluble polymers with T_gs significantly higher than the homopolymer of 1 . © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 2207–2219, 1997     

THE EFFECTS OF MONOMER STRUCTURE OF CYCLIC KETENE ACETALS ON THE BEHAVIOR OF CONTROLLED RADICAL RING-OPENING POLYMERIZATION

Polymerization of three cyclic ketene acetals: i.e., 5,6-benzo-2-methylene-1,3-dioxepane (BMDO), 2-methylene-4-phenyl-1,3-dioxolane (MPDO) and 4, 7-dimethyl-2-methylene-1, 3-dioxepane(DMMDO) were carried out in the presence ofethyl α-bromobutyrate/CuBr/2, 2'-bipyridine respectively. The structures of poly(BMDO), poly(MPDO) and poly(DMMDO)were characterized by ~1H and ~(13)C-NMR spectra. The effects of monomer structure on the behavior of atom transfer freeradical ring-opening polymerization were investigated and the mechanism of controlled free radical ring-openingpolymerization was discussed.     

Cationic polymerizations of substituted 2-methylene-1,3-dioxocyclic acetals, 2-methylene-1,3-dithiolane and copolymerization of 2-methylene-1,3-dithiolane with 4-(t-butyl)-2-methylene-1,3-dioxolane1

Carbon black-supported sulfuric acid or BF₃·Et₂O-initiated polymerizations of 2-methylene-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3-dioxolane (1), 2-methylene-4-phenyl-1,3-dioxolane (2), and 2-methylene-4-isopropyl-5,5-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane (3) were performed. 1,2-Vinyl addition homopolymers of 1–3 were produced using carbon black-supported H₂SO₄ initiation at temperatures from 0°C to 60°C whereas both ring-opened and 1,2-vinyl structural units were present in the polymers using BF₃·Et₂O as an initiator. Cationic polymerizations of 2-methylene-1,3-dithiolane (4) and copolymerization of 4 with 2-methylene-4-(t-butyl)-1,3-dioxolane (5) were initiated with either carbon black-sulfuric acid or BF₃·Et₂O. Insoluble 1,2-vinyl addition homopolymers of 4 were obtained upon initiation with the supported acid or BF₃·Et₂O. A soluble copolymer of 2-methylene-1,3-dithiolane (4) and 4-(t-butyl)-2-methylene-1,3-dioxolane (5) was obtained upon BF₃·Et₂O initiation. This copolymer is composed of three structural units: a ring-opened dithioester unit, a 1,2-vinyl-polymerized 1,3-dithiolane unit, and a 1,2-vinyl polymerized 4-(t-butyl)-1,3-dioxolane unit. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 2823–2840, 1999     

Free Radical Ring-Opening Polymerization of 4-n-Hexyl- and 4-n-Decyl-2-methylene-1,3-dioxolanes

Two alkyl-substituted cyclic ketene acetals, 4-n-hexyl-2-methylene-1,3-dioxolane (4) and 4-n-decyl-2-methylene-1,3-dioxolane (6), were shown to undergo free radical ring-opening polymerization with the introduction of an ester group into the backbone of an addition polymer. The spontaneous polymerization of 4 (presumable by an ionic mechanism) produced a polymer containing no ring-opened units; furthermore 4 and 6 could be stabilized with respect to spontaneous polymerization by the addition of small amounts of pyridine. On the other hand, the polymerization of 4 in a 50% (by weight) benzene solution at 110°C with di-tertbutyl peroxide as the catalyst gave quantitative ring opening to give a polyester containing both possible isomeric ring-opened units. Bulk polymerization of 4 at 60°C at 53% conversion gave 50% ring opening which was divided 31% to 19% between cleavage to give the intermediate secondary free radical and the intermediate primary radical. Copolymerization of 4 with equimolar quantities of styrene at 110°C gave at 56% conversion a copolymer consisting of 67% styrene units, 22% ester-containing units resulting from cleavage to form a secondary radical, 7% of the isomeric ester-containing units, and 4% nonring-opened units. Polymerization studies with monomer 6 gave results very similar to those obtained with 4.     

Cationic and free-radical polymerization of optically active 1-olefins

The AlCl₃-initiated cationic polymerization of optically active 1-olefins yields polymers of varying optical rotatory power. Polymers of (+)-3-methyl-1-pentene and (?)-4-methyl-1-hexene prepared between ?78 and ?55°C. in CH₂Cl₂ or n-heptane are almost completely optically inactive. Under identical reaction conditions (+)-5-methyl-1-heptene gives polymers of significant optical rotatory power. Alternating SO₂copolymers of the same olefins, formed in reactions which proceed through free-radical intermediates, yield optically active products with specific rotations similar to those of low molecular weight analogs. These results are consistent with a cationic polymerization mechanism in which the growing chain undergoes intramolecular hydride shift and the asymmetric carbon atoms are converted into carbonium ions. The data also provide evidence for the lack of rearrangement in free-radical polymerization. By comparing the specific rotations of the cationic and free-radical polymers, the extent of rearrangement during cationic polymerization can be estimated. The calculations show that the 1,2-polymer in cationic poly-3-methyl-1-pentene is less than 2%, the sum of 1,2- and 1,3-polymer in cationic poly-4-methyl-1-hexene is less than 4%, and the sum of 1,2-, 1,3-, and 1,4-polymer in cationic poly-5-methyl-1-heptene is 14–20%.     

Radiation-induced postpolymerization of trioxane in the solid state. V. Studies on copolymer composition

Studies on the composition of copolymers obtained by the radiation-induced solid-state postpolymerization of trioxane with 1,3-dioxolane have been carried out. Gas-chromatographic analysis of the reaction mixtures showed that most of the 1,3-dioxolane disappears rapidly from the reaction system in an early stage of polymerization, and that the fraction of ethylene oxide units in the copolymer chain [E] decreases markedly with increasing polymer yield. This finding was confirmed by NMR spectra of the copolymer. DSC thermograms of the copolymer indicated that the relationship between the melting point and the average composition of copolymers prepared in this study differed from that found for copolymers in which comonomer units are distributed statistically in the polymer chain. It was suggested that the copolymer formed by the radiation-induced solid-state postpolymerization of trioxane–1,3-dioxolane is characterized by a heterogeneous distribution of ethylene oxide units in the copolymer chain. It was also found that, in the radiation-induced solid-state postpolymerization of trioxane–1,3-dioxolane, the amount of tetraoxane formation increased linearly with increasing polymer yield. Although it is extremely small compared with that obtained in solution polymerization, it is slightly larger in the trioxane–1,3-dioxolane system than in the trioxane system.     

Cationic 1,2-vinyl addition polymerization of cyclic ketene acetals initiated by conventional acids

Pure 1,2-addition polymers, poly(2-methylene-1,3-dioxolane), 1b , poly(2-methylene-1,3-dioxane), 2b , and poly(2-methylene-5,5-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane), 3b , were prepared using the cationic initiators H₂SO₄, TiCl₄, BF₃, and also Ru(PPh₃)₃Cl₂. Small ester carbonyl bands in the IR spectra of 1b and 2b were observed when the polymerizations were performed at 80°C ( 1b ) and both 67 and 138°C ( 2b ) using Ru(PPh₃)₃Cl₂. The poly(cyclic ketene acetals) were stable if they were not exposed to acid and water. They were quite thermally stable and did not decompose until 290°C ( 1b ), 240°C ( 2b ), and 294°C ( 3b ). Different chemical shifts for axial and equatorial H and CH₃ on the ketal rings were found in the ¹H NMR spectrum of 3b at room temperature. High molecular weight 3b (M̄_n = 8.68 × 10⁴, M̄_w = 1.31 × 10⁵, M̄_z = 1.57 × 10⁵) was obtained upon cationic initiation by H₂SO₄. Poly(2-methylene-1,3-dioxane), 2b , underwent partial hydrolysis when Ru(PPh₃)₃Cl₂ and water were present in the polymer. The hydrolyzed products were 1,3-propanediol and a polymer containing both poly(2-methylene-1,3-dioxane) and polyketene units. The percentages of these two units in the hydrolyzed polymer were about 32% polyketene and 68% poly(2-methylene-1,3-dioxane). No crosslinked or aromatic structures were observed in the hydrolyzed products. The molecular weight of hydrolyzed polymer was M̄_n = 5740, M̄_w = 7260, and M̄_z = 9060. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 3707–3716, 1997     

Living cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether by EtAlCl2 in the presence of ether additives: Cyclic ethers,cyclic formals,and acyclic ethers with oxyethylene units

The living cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE) was investigated in the presence of various cyclic and acyclic ethers with 1-(isobutoxy)ethyl acetate [CH₃CH(OiBu)OCOCH₃, 1 ]/EtAlCl₂ initiating system in hexane at 0°C. In particular, the effect of the basicity and steric hindrance of the ethers on the living nature and the polymerization rate was studied. The polymerization in the presence of a wide variety of cyclic ethers [tetrahydrofuran (THF), tetrahydropyran (THP), oxepane, 1,4-dioxane] and cyclic formals (1,3-dioxolane, 1,3-dioxane) gave living polymers with a very narrow molecular weight distribution (MWD) (M?_ω/M?_n ≤ 1.1). On the other hand, propylene oxide and oxetane additives resulted in no polymerization, whereas 1,3,5-trioxane gave the nonliving polymer with a broader MWD. The polymerization rates were dependent on the number of oxygen and ring sizes, which were related to the basicity and the steric hindrance. The order of the apparent polymerization rates in the presence of cyclic ether and formal additives was as follows: nonadditive ～ 1,3,5-trioxane ? 1,3-dioxane > 1,3-dioxolane ? 1,4-dioxane ? THP > oxepane ? THF ? oxetane, propylene oxide ? 0. The polymerization in the presence of the cyclic formals was much faster than that of the cyclic ethers: for example, the apparent propagation rate constant k in the presence of 1,3-dioxolane was 10³ times larger than that in the presence of THF. Another series of experiments showed that acyclic ethers with oxyethylene units were effective as additives for the living polymerization with 1 /EtAlCl₂ initiating system in hexane at 0°C. The polymers obtained in the presence of ethylene glycol diethyl ether and diethylene glycol diethyle ether had very narrow molecular weight distribution (M?_ω/M?_n ≤ 1.1), and the M?_n was directly proportional to the monomer conversion. The polymerization behavior was quite different in the polymerization rates and the MWD of the obtained polymers from that in the presence of diethyl ether. These results suggested the polydentate-type interaction or the alternate interaction of two or three ether oxygens in oxyethylene units with the propagating carbocation, to permit the living polymerization of IBVE. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Cationic ring‐opening polymerization of monothiocarbonate with a norbornene group

This work deals with the cationic ring‐opening polymerization of cyclic thiocarbonates with a norbornene or norbornane moiety, that is, 5,5‐(bicyclo[2.2.1]hept‐2‐ene‐5,5‐ylidene)‐1,3‐dioxane‐2‐thione ( TC1 ) or 5,5‐(bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane‐5,5‐ylidene)‐1,3‐dioxane‐2‐thione ( TC2 ), respectively. The reaction of TC1 initiated by trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TfOH), methyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (TfOMe), boron trifluoride etherate (BF₃OEt₂), or triethyloxonium tetrafluoroborate (Et₃OBF₄) afforded unidentified products; however, TC1 underwent cationic ring‐opening polymerization with methyl iodide as an initiator to afford polythiocarbonate because the propagating end was stabilized by the covalent‐bonding property. The polymerization of TC2 initiated by TfOH, TfOMe, BF₃OEt₂, or Et₃OBF₄ afforded polythiocarbonate with good solubility in common organic solvents and a narrow molecular weight distribution because of the absence of a double‐bond moiety. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 1698–1705, 2002     

Cationic polymerization behavior of seven-membered cyclic sulfite

Cationic ring-opening polymerization behavior of a seven-membered cyclic sulfite ( 1 ) was examined. 1 was prepared by the reaction of 1,4-butanediol with SOCl₂ in 58% yield. The cationic polymerization of 1 was carried out at 0, 25, 60, or 100°C with trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TfOH), methyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (TfOMe), BF₃ · OEt₂, SnCl₄, methyl p-toluenesulfonate (TsOMe), or MeI as an initiator in bulk under a nitrogen atmosphere to afford the polymer with M̄_n 1000–10,400. The order of activities of the initiators for 1 was as follows, TfOH ≅ TfOMe > SnCl₄ > BF₃ · OEt₂ > TsOMe ≅ MeI. The polymerization of 1 with TfOMe afforded a poly(sulfite) below 25°C, but afforded a polymer containing an ether unit at 60°C, which was formed by a desulfoxylation. The higher the activity of the initiator was, the more easily the desulfoxylation occurred. We expected volume expansion on polymerization because cyclic sulfites have large dipole moment values, but it turned out that 1 showed 4.34% shrinkage on polymerization. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 3673–3682, 1997     

Syntheses and characterization of alkylzirconium complexes containing two silanolato ligands with a bowl-shaped framework

The reaction of a bowl-type silanol with tetrabenzylzirconium yielded a dibenzylbis(silanolato)zirconium complex selectively, which is an intriguing species in connection to the chemistry of silica-supported ZrR₄ olefin polymerization catalysts. Treatment of this neutral complex with B(C₆F₅)₃ afforded the corresponding cationic monobenzyl complex, presenting the first example of a cationic zirconium complex containing a silanolato ligand. The structures of both complexes have been characterized by X-ray crystallography.     

Cationic copolymerization of cyclic ketene acetals: The effect of substituents on reactivity

Cationic copolymerizations of 4-methyl-2-methylene-1,3-dioxane, 2 (M₁), with 2-methylene-1,3-dioxane, 1 (M₂); of 4,4,6-trimethyl-2-methylene-1,3-dioxane, 3 (M₁), with 2-methylene-1,3-dioxane, 1 (M₂); of 4-methyl-2-methylene-1,3-dioxolane, 5 (M₁), with 2-methylene-1,3-dioxolane, 4 (M₂); and of 4,5-dimethyl-2-methylene-1,3-dioxolane, 6 (M₁), with 2-methylene-1,3-dioxolane, 4 (M₂) were conducted. The reactivity ratios for these four types of copolymerizations were r₁ = 1.73 and r₂ = 0.846; r₁ = 2.26 and r₂ = 0.310; r₁ = 1.28 and r₂ = 0.825; r₁ = 2.23 and r₂ = 0.515, respectively. The relative reactivities of these monomers towards cationic polymerization are: 3 > 2 > 1; and 6 > 5 > 4. With both five- and six-membered ring cyclic ketene acetals, the reactivity increased with increasing methyl substitution on the ring. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 861–871, 1998     

Preparation and radical ring-opening polymerization of exo-methylene substituted cyclic ketene acetals

Preparation and radical ring-opening polymerization of the exo-methylene substituted cyclic ketene acetals, 2,4-dimethylene-1,3-dioxolane ( I ) and 2,5-dimethylene-1,3-dioxane ( II ), were carried out. Ketene acetals I and II were prepared by dehydrohalogenation of the corresponding cyclic haloacetal with potassium tert-butoxide in tetrahydrofuran at –78°C and ambient temperature, respectively. I underwent radical polymerization with essentially quantitative ring-opening with di-tert-butyl peroxide in dimethylformamide at 120°C. On the other hand, II underwent both ring-opening polymerization and vinyl polymerization under the same conditions of the polymerization of I . The differences of polymerization behavior between I and II were also discussed.     

Dynamics of lithium electrode passivation in aprotic organic electrolytes,studied by electrochemical noise method

Lithium electrode passivation is studied in different organic electrolytes, namely, 1 M LiClO₄ in 1,3-dioxolane, 1 M LiN(CF₃SO₂)₂ in 1,3-dioxolane, 1 M LiPF₆ in an ethylene carbonate-diethyl carbonate mixture, 1 M LiPF₆ in an ethylene carbonate-dimethyl carbonate mixture, using the electrochemical noise method. The dynamics of passive film formation on the lithium surface in the mentioned electrolytes that differ in their corrosivity towards lithium is followed.     

Isomerization of perfluoro-3,3-diethylindan-1-one into perfluoro-1,3-dimethyl-4-ethyl-1 H-isochromen under the action of antimony pentafluoride

The heating of perfluoro-3,3-diethylindan-1-one with SbF₅ at 180°C after treatment of the reaction mixture with anhydrous HF afforded perfluoro-1,3-dimethyl-4-ethylisochromen, and after hydrolysis, perfluoro-1,3-dimethyl-4-ethyl-1H-isochromen-1-ol. The latter under the action of NaHCO₃ converted into 5,6,7,8-tetrafluoro-1,3-bis(trifluoromethyl)-1H-isochromen-1-ol. Both isochromenols reacted with SOCl₂ gave the corresponding polyfluoro-1-chloro-1H-isochromens. On dissolving isochromenols in CF₃SO₃H and isochromens in SbF₅ perfluoro-1,3-dimethyl-4-ethylisochromenyl and 5,6,7,8-tetrafluoro-1,3-bis(trifluoromethyl)isochromenyl cations were generated which by hydrolysis were converted into the corresponding isochromenols.     

Synthesis and characterization of side-chain liquid-crystalline poly(ether ester)s having p-substituted biphenyl mesogenic side groups

Several novel mesogenic spiro-orthoester monomers such as 1,6,10-trioxaspiro[4,5]decanes 4 , containing biphenyl mesogens at the C-8 positions of the five- and six-membered spirocyclic ring, through the alkylene spacers of different lengths were prepared by condensation reaction of the corresponding biphenyl mesogenic 1,3-propanediol 3 with 2,2-diethoxytetrahydrofuran, with 50–75% yields. Through cationic double ring-opening polymerization, carried out with boron trifluoride etherate as an initiator (5 mol % vs. monomer) in bulk at 150°C, spiro-orthoester monomers 4 afforded a novel class of side-chain thermotropic LC polymers with a poly(ether ester) as the main chain 8 . The liquid-crystalline properties of the spiro-orthoester monomers and the resulting polymers were examined by differential scanning calorimetry and optical polarized microscopy. Biphase separation was observed in the side-chain liquid-crystalline poly(ether ester)s upon annealing in the broad isotropic region. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J. Polym. Sci. A Polym. Chem. 36: 2439–2455, 1998     

Heterotelechelic poly(oxazolidine-acetals) and their functionalization

Telechelic poly(1,3-oxazolidine-acetal)s with -CH₂OH and -CHO groups were synthesized by polycondensation of the 2-amino-2-hydroxy-1,3-propanediol ( 1 ) (TRIS) with terephthaldehyde ( 2 ). The degree of polymerization (DP) was controlled by the ratio of 1 to 2 at the given reaction time. Characterization was achieved by ¹H and ¹³C NMR and IR spectroscopy. The distribution of oxazolidine-acetal units in the polymer chain has been performed using ESI-MS. The activities of telechelic poly(oxazolidine-acetal) were determined in reaction oxidation (4-chloroperbenzoic acid), reduction (CH₃MgCl) and nucleophilic substitution (acylation, alkylation).