13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of polyacrylates and their model compounds

¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance spectra (¹³C-NMR) of poly(methyl acrylates) and poly(isopropyl acrylates) of various tacticities were measured at 25.1 MHz and analyzed. ¹³C-NMR spectra of model compounds for poly(methyl acrylate), poly(acrylic acid), and poly(sodium acrylate) were also determined. The spectra of the polymers were generally complicated owing to the splittings corresponding to triad, tetrad, or pentad placements, and the assignment for each peak was difficult. Groups of peaks were analyzed by triad or tetrad placements by assuming Bernoullian or first-order Markovian statistics.     

Stereoregularity of poly(α-methylvinyl alkyl ether)s determined by 1H- and 13C-NMR spectroscopy

α-Methylvinyl methyl ether, ethyl ether, and isobutyl ether were polymerized under various polymerization conditions and the structure of the polymers was determined by ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy. α-Methyl and β-methylene carbon spectra of poly(α-methylvinyl isobutyl ether) showed splitting and were analyzed by triad and tetrad sequences. β-Methylene carbon spectra of poly(α-methylvinyl ethyl ether) also showed splitting. When Eu(fod)₃ was added, α-methyl and methoxy proton spectra in benzene of poly(α-methylvinyl methyl ether) showed splitting assigned to triad tacticities. All the polymers obtained in polar solvents exhibited an increase in syndiotacticity. The polymerization mechanism is discussed.     

Cationic polymerization of α,β-disubstituted olefins. V. Reactivity of propenyl alkyl ethers in cationic polymerization

To elucidate the effect of the introduction of a methyl group in the β-position of a vinyl monomer, propenyl alkyl ethers were copolymerized with vinyl ethers having the same alkoxy group. Propenyl alkyl ethers with an unbranched alkoxy group (ethyl or n-butyl propenyl ether) were more reactive than the corresponding vinyl ethers. This behavior is quite different from that of β-methylstyrene derivatives. However, propenyl alkyl ethers with branched alkoxy groups at the α carbon atom (isopropyl or tert-butyl propenyl ether) were less reactive than the corresponding vinyl ethers. Also, cis- isomers were more reactive than the trans isomers, regardless of the kind of alkoxy group and the polarity of the solvent.     

Nuclear magnetic resonance studies on microstructure of ethylene copolymers. VI. Carbon-13 spectra of ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymers

The 22.6-MHz Fourier-transform noise-decoupled ¹³C (carbon-13) NMR spectra of several ethylene–vinyl acetate (E–VA) copolymers were obtained. We found that triad information on monomer placement can be deduced from carbonyl resonances, triad and pentad information can be deduced from methine carbon resonances, and triad information is available from the methylene carbon resonances. The random comonomer distributions in E–VA polymerizations were demonstrated up to pentad placements. In addition, the use of model-compound data in the analysis of copolymer spectra was shown.     

Stereoregularity of poly(vinyl ether)

α-Methylvinyl isobutyl and methyl ethers were polymerized cationically and the structure of the polymers was studied by NMR. Poly(α-methylvinyl methyl ether) polymerized with iodine or ferric chloride as catalyst was found to be almost atactic, whereas poly(α-methylvinyl isobutyl ether) polymerized in toluene with BF₃OEt₂ or AlEt₂Cl as catalyst was found to be isotactic. In both cases, the addition of polar solvent resulted in the increase of syndiotactic structure as is the case with polymerization of alkyl vinyl ether. tert-Butyl vinyl ether was polymerized, and the polymer was converted into poly(vinyl acetate), the structure of which was studied by NMR. A nearly linear relationship between the optical density ratio D₇₂₂/D₇₃₆ in poly(tert-butyl vinyl ether) and the isotacticity of the converted poly(vinyl acetate) was observed.     

Effect of temperature and solvents on stereospecific polymerization of vinyl alkyl ethers catalyzed by aluminum sulfate–sulfuric acid complex

The effect of polymerization temperature and solvents was determined on the crystallinity of polymers of vinyl isobutyl ether and of vinyl n-butyl ether prepared with aluminum sulfate–sulfuric acid complex catalyst. Principally, the methyl ethyl ketone (MEK)-insoluble fractions of these polymers were used for characterization. Density, per cent crystallinity by x-ray diffraction, infrared ratio, and dilatometric volume contraction of these polymer fractions were used as criteria of crystallinity. The MEK-insoluble fractions of poly(vinyl n-butyl ethers) prepared in carbon disulfide in the temperature range of ?30 to +25°C did not show any significant difference in the values of the above crystallinity parameters. The polymer obtained at 50°C. was less crystalline than the rest of the polymers. The MEK-insoluble fractions of poly(vinyl isobutyl ethers) prepared at 0–50°C. in carbon disulfide and n-heptane solvents also did not significantly differ in their degree of crystallinity. They were, however, decidedly less crystalline than the MEK-insoluble fractions of the corresponding polymers obtained at ?20°C. These data a indicate that on increasing the temperature of polymerization the crystallinity of the polymers was either unchanged or decreased slightly. The polymerizations of vinyl n-butyl ether and vinyl isobutyl ethers were also carried out in binary mixtures of carbon disulfide with n-heptane, chlorobenzene, and MEK. Generally, increasing the concentration of carbon disulfide increased the inherent viscosities of polymers as well as the weight percentage of their MEK-insoluble fractions. The MEK-insoluble fraction of poly(vinyl isobutyl ether) prepared in carbon disulfide-MEK mixture (volume ratio 2:1) was isotactic and highly crystalline. Likewise, the MEK-insoluble fractions of two polymers of vinyl n-butyl ether prepared in MEK itself were also isotactic and highly crystalline. Compared to poly(tetramethylene oxide), these latter fractions exhibited less dependence of rate of crystallization upon temperature. Consequently, at low degrees of supercooling they crystallize much more rapidly than does poly(tetramethylene oxide).     

Observation of pentads in deuterated polyacrylonitrile by NMR spectroscopy

The deuterium-decoupled methine proton spectra of polyacrylonitrile-β,β-d₂ were measured at 156°C in dimethylsulfoxide-d₆ solution. Splittings of triad peaks caused by pentad sequences were observed. The isotactic triad resonance was resolved into three peaks and the heterotactic resonance into two peaks, while the syndiotactic resonance was unresolved or resolved into three peaks. The splittings were assigned by comparing the probability of each pentad sequence with observed intensities. The pentad signal shifted to the higher magnetic field with increasing number of meso configurations as neighbors of the central triad. It was observed that the pentad of atactic polyacrylonitrile-β,β-d₂ obeyed Bernoullian statistics but that of isotactic polymer obtained by γ-ray irradiation of the canal complex seemingly obeyed first-order Markov statistics.     

Poly(alkyl α-bromoacrylate)s. III. Tacticity analysis from 19 mHz 13C-NMR spectroscopy

Polymer tacticity was determined by 19 mHz ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy for isotactic, atactic, and syndiotactic samples of six poly(alkyl α-bromoacrylate)s. Included in this series were the methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, i-propyl, n-butyl, and n-pentyl esters. Complete assignments for the 10 pentad peaks of the carbonyl carbon resonance were achieved for all but the i-propyl ester while a complete analysis of tetrad tacticity from the backbone methylene carbon resonance was possible for all but the methyl ester. The tetrad values calculated from the experimentally determined pentad contents were found to agree with the experimental tetrad values. As a result of insufficient peak separation of the quaternary carbon resonance, complete pentad assignments were possible in only a few instances. The polymerization reaction mechanisms were discussed in terms of the propagation statistics calculated from the experimentally determined tetrads and pentads. Both the atactic and syndiotactic polymers that were synthesized by free radical techniques displayed Bernoullian or random statistics while the stereochemical statistics of the isotactic polymers synthesized by a modified Grignard complex were more consistent with nonrandom or first-order Markovian statistics.     

Analysis of quaternary carbon resonances of vinylidene chloride/methyl acrylate copolymers

Analysis of the quaternary carbon resonance signals of vinylidene chloride in vinylidene chloride (V)/methyl acrylate (M) copolymers at pentad level of compositional sensitivity is presented in this paper. The analysis has been done by resolving overlapped and complex resonance signals using an approach based on the intensities of resonances, chemical shift prediction and spectral simulation. Intensities of the resonance signals were calculated using the reactivity ratios optimized from the dyad and triad fractions, obtained from the ¹³C ¹H NMR data, by applying genetic algorithm. Joint confidence interval was obtained for the optimized reactivity ratios. The chemical shift modeling of the quaternary carbon resonance signals in terms of empirical additive parameters was done. The chemical shifts of overlapping pentad resonances were predicted from the empirical additive parameters optimized using genetic algorithm. Comparison of the intensities of pentad resonances assigned by chemical shift modeling and experimental intensities of resonances has been done to ascertain the assignments made. Comparison between simulated and experimental spectra at pentad level of sensitivity has been done.     

Polymerization of vinyl ethers with transition‐metal catalysts: An examination of the stereoregularity of the formed polymers

The polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE) and tert‐butyl vinyl ether (TBVE) was carried out with metallocene and nonmetallocene catalysts, and the stereoregularity of the formed polymers was examined with ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. IBVE afforded polymers with 63–68% dyad isotacticity by polymerization with mixtures of metallocene catalysts and methyl aluminoxane as a cocatalyst in toluene as a solvent. However, TBVE yielded polymers with 47–52% dyad isotacticity (21–28% triad isotacticity) under the same conditions, the isotacticity being lower than that of poly(isobutyl vinyl ether) (PIBVE). Nonmetallocene catalysts, including Ti, Zr, and Hf complexes with two phenoxy imine chelate ligands, provided PIBVE and poly(tert‐butyl vinyl ether) with 63–68 and 45–51% dyad isotacticity, respectively. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 3938–3943, 2002     

Étude de la cotacticité des copolymères acrylonitrile-méthacrylate de methyle par resonance magnetique nucléaire—haute resolution

A study of the NMR spectra of acrylonitrile–methyl methacrylate copolymers (PAM) with very low percentages of methyl methacrylate (M) allows quantitative determinations of AMA, and MMA or AMM triad sequences from the methoxy resonances. The resolution of the complex α-methyl resonances of the isolated M units in seven components has been attempted. If our assignments are correct, the analysis of the cotactic pentad sequences (with a M in central position) has revealed that the configurations of the copolymer chain do not follow the Bernouillian or the first-order Markoffian statistics.     

Preparation of block copolymers by use of peroxide-terminated prepolymer

Block copolymers containing poly(tetramethylene oxide) and poly(methyl methacrylate) segments were prepared. A commercially available poly(tetramethylene oxide) terminated with tolylene diisocyanate was capped with tert-butyl hydroxymethyl peroxide and the resulting prepolymer peroxide was used as a free-radical initiator of vinyl polymerization. Block copolymers formed in temperature-programmed vinyl polymerizations possessed improved impact strengths over poly(methyl methacrylate) from 0.35 to 1.18 for a fixed (nonoptimized) block length of poly(tetramethylene oxide).     

Preliminary observations on the high temperature oxidation of ethyl tert-butyl ether

The high temperature oxidation of ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE) with oxygen in argon diluent has been studied in reflected shock waves over the temperature range 1160 to 1830 K, with pressures of 3.5 bar and with varying equivalence ratios from 0.3 to 2.4. Measurements of the ignition delay times, characterized by chemiluminescence and pressure rise, show that the rate of oxidation is very similar to that of methyl tert-butyl ether.     

Poly(alkyl α-chloroacrylates). IV. Tacticity analysis from 300 MHz proton magnetic resonance spectra

300 MHz proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy was applied to the determination of triad structures of three poly(alkyl α-chloroacrylates) of widely varying stereoregularities. Assignments and quantitative analyses were made for all of the tetrad peaks in the backbone methylene resonance of poly(methyl α-chloroacrylate), poly(ethyl α-chloroacrylate), and poly(isopropyl α-chloroacrylate). In addition the methyl singlet peaks of poly(methyl α-chloroacrylate), the methyl triplet peaks of poly(ethyl α-chloroacrylate) which had not been amenable previously to resolution at 220 MHz, and the methyl doublet peaks of poly(isopropyl α-chloroacrylate) were resolved, and the triad values which were obtained from these pendant ester group resonances compared favorably with triad values calculated from experimental tetrad values. As a demonstration of the internal agreement of the triad and tetrad peaks assignments, statistical calculations of the stereochemical structures of the actic and syndiotactic polymers were generally described well or to a first approximation by random selection statistics (Bernoullian) while the stereochemical statistics of the moderately to highly isotactic polymers were consistent with a nonrandom statistical process (first-order Markovian), as expected.     

Stereoregularity of poly(2-vinylpyridine) determined by 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectroscopy

In order to determine the stereoregularity of poly(2-vinylpyridine), 2-vinylpyridine-β,β-d₂ was synthesized. The ¹H-NMR spectra of the deuterated polymer in D₂SO₄ and o-dichlorobenzene solutions showed three peaks, which were assigned to triad tacticities. Since the absorptions of heterotactic and syndiotactic triads of methine protons overlap those of methylene protons in nondeuterated polymers, only isotactic triad intensities can be obtained from the ¹H-NMR spectra of nondeuterated poly(2-vinylpyridine). The ¹³C-NMR spectra of poly(2-vinylpyridine) were obtained in methanol and sulfuric acid solutions. In methanol solution the absorption was split into three groups, which cannot be explained by triads, and in sulfuric acid solution several peaks were observed. These splittings may be due to pentad tacticity. The results show that poly(2-vinylpyridine) obtained by radical polymerization is an atactic polymer.     

Effect of polymer structure on ease of hydrogen abstraction by cumyloxy radicals

Vulcanizates of five elastomers having different chemical structures were prepared with recipes comprising dicumyl peroxide. Cumyl alcohol/acetophenone molar ratios were determined by gas–liquid chromatography (GLC) on acetone extracts of vulcanizates. Diphenyl ether was used as the internal standard. The ease of hydrogen abstraction by cumyloxy radicals, reflected by the cumyl alcohol/acetophenone ratio, decreases in the following order: cis-1,4-polyisoprene > poly(propylene oxide) > poly(vinyl n-butyl ether) > poly-1-heptene ? EPR. This order is in qualitative agreement with the order based on calculated relative rates of hydrogen abstraction by methyl and tert-butoxy radicals and literature data on oxygen absorption of some of these polymers as a result of hydrogen abstraction by peroxy radicals.     

Sulfur-containing vinyl monomers. XII. Charge transfer complexes of thioethylene derivatives with π-electron acceptors

The absorption spectra of charge-transfer (CT) complexes of thioethylene derivatives with p-chloranil (CA), tetracyanoethylene (TCNE), and 7,7,8,8,-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) were measured in methylene chloride. Since the CT bands of alkyl vinyl sulfides having bulky substituents such as isopropyl, cyclohexyl and tert-butyl were similar to that of methyl vinyl sulfide, the complexing site of these sulfides to acceptor was assumed to be the vinyl group rather than the sulfur atom. In the case of the TCNE complex of phenyl vinyl sulfide, however, a new second CT band at 378 nm was observed, and the first CT band was also close to that of ethyl phenyl sulfide, indicating that the TCNE formed a complex with this vinyl sulfide mainly at its phenyl group. To investigate further the conformation of the complex, CT spectra of bis-, tris- and tetrakis (phenylthio) ethylenes were measured. These compounds showed markedly different CT bands, and the changes in these CT bands with the number of the phenylthio substituents appears to be attributable to the change in complexing site with the acceptors used.     

Miscible blends of amorphous polymers

Thirty-five polymethacrylate/chlorinated polymer blends were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry. Poly(ethyl), poly(n-propyl), poly(n-butyl), and poly(n-amyl methacrylate)s were found to be miscible with poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), chlorinated PVC, and Saran, but immiscible with a chlorinated polyethylene containing 48% chlorine. Poly(methyl) (PMMA), poly(n-hexyl) (PHMA), and poly(n-lauryl methacrylate)s were found to be immiscible with the same chlorinated polymers, except the PMMA/PVC, PMMA/Saran, and PHMA/Saran blends, which were miscible. A high chlorine content of the chlorinated polymer and an optimum CH₂/COO ratio of the polymethacrylate are required to obtain miscibility. However, poly(methyl), poly(ethyl), poly(n-butyl), and poly(n-octadecyl acrylate)s were found to be immiscible with the same chlorinated polymers, except with Saran, indicating a much greater miscibility of the polymethacrylates with the chlorinated polymers as compared with the polyacrylates.     

Stereoregularity of poly(2-vinylpyridine) and poly-(4-vinylpyridine)

In order to determine the stereoregularity of poly(4-vinylpyridine), 4-vinylpyridine-β,β-d₂ was synthesized from 4-acetylpyridine. The ¹H-NMR spectra of the deuterated and nondeuterated polymers were measured and analyzed. From the ¹H-NMR spectra of poly(4-vinylpyridine-β,β-d₂), triad tacticity can be obtained, while the ¹H-NMR spectra of nondeuterated poly(4-vinylpyridine) give the fraction of isotactic triad. The ¹³C-NMR spectra of poly(4-vinylpyridine) were also observed, and the spectra of C₄ carbon of polymers were assigned by the pentad tacticities. The fraction of isotactic triad of poly(2-vinylpyridine) and poly(4-vinylpyridine) obtained under various polymerization conditions were determined. The radical polymerization and anionic polymerizations with phenylmagnesium bromide and n-butyllithium as catalysts of 4-vinylpyridine gave atactic polymers.     

Synthesis and polymerization of vinyl esters and vinyl ethers having bulky substituents

In order to clarify the effect of bulky substituents on the stereoregulation of vinyl monomers, vinyl-1-adamantanecarboxylate and vinyl 1-adamantyl ether were synthesized and polymerized by radical and cationic mechanisms, respectively. As open-chain models of the adamantyl group, vinyl trialkylacetate (alkyl = ethyl, n-propyl, and n-butyl) and vinyl tri-n-propylcarbinyl ether were also synthesized and polymerized. The adamantly group in the vinyl ester favored syndiotactic propagation in a manner similar to the trimethylcarbinyl group. Higher homologs of tri-n-alkylcarbinyl group showed higher syndiotacticity but this effect was saturated in higher members of the series. The effect of the adamantyl group in vinyl ether was similar to that of the tert-butyl group, leading to high isotacticity on cationic polymerizations in nonpolar solvents and to atactic polymers in polar solvents, but the tri-n-propylcarbinyl group was found unique in leading to what was assumed to be a heterotactic polymer. Polymers with the adamantyl group showed much higher softening points than polymers of the corresponding open-chain groups.