The influence of solute-solvent interactions on the kinetics and stereospecificity of polymerization-the relevance of aromatic solvent shifts observed on the nmr spectrum of methyl methacrylate

The effect of certain aromatic compounds on the PMR spectrum of methyl methacrylate (MMA) was investigated. The magnitude of observed aromatic-induced shifts decreased in the order benzene ? styrene > chlorobenzene ≈ bromobenzene.Assuming that the interaction arises from a stoichiometric 1:1 complex, equilibrium parameters for the MMA-benzene interaction have been estimated. ΔH ± S.E. (ΔH) = ?(8 ± 4) kJ mol^?1. These effects are likely to have a small influence on the kinetics of copolymerization with aromatic monomers and polymerization in aromatic solvent. The stereochemistry of the solute-solvent interactions suggests that MMA takes a cis-conformation in solution, which is relevant to the mechanism of stereoregular polymerizations of this monomer.     

Critical micelle concentrations for alkyltrimethylammonium bromides in water from 25 to 160°C

Critical micelle concentrations were determined by conductance measurements for decyl-, dodecyl-, tetradecyl- and hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide in water at 25, 60, 95, 130, and 160°C. The results are discussed in terms of the equilibrium model and the nonlinear Poisson-Boltzmann model for micelle formation. The free energies of transferring a methylene group from water to the oil-like interior of the micelle are found to be –781 at 25°C, –796 at 60°C, –819 at 95°C, –815 at 130°C, and –787 at 160°C cal-mol^–1.