Ab initio studies of structural features not easily amenable to experiment. 25. Conformational analysis of methyl propanoate and comparison with the methyl ester of glycine

The molecular geometries of three conformations of methyl propanoate (MEP) (C? C? C?O torsions of 0°, 120°, and 180°) and the potential-energy surfaces of MEP (C? C? C?O torsions) and of the methyl ester of glycine (MEG) (N? C? C?O torsions) have been determined by ab initio gradient calculations at the 4-21G level. MEP has conformational energy minima at 0° and 120° of the C? C? C?O torsion, while the 60–90° range and 180° are energy maxima. For MEG there are two minima (at 0° and 180°) and one barrier to N? C? C?O rotation in the 60–90° range. The N? C? C?O barrier height is about twice as high (4 kcal/mol) as the C? C? C?O barrier. The 180° N? C? C?O minimum is characteristically wide and flat allowing for considerable flexibility of the N? C? C?O torsion in the 150–210° range. This flexibility could be of potential importance for polypeptide systems, since the N? C? C?O angles of helical forms are usually found in this region. The molecular structures of the methyl ester group CH₃OC(?O)CHRR′ in several systems are compared and found to be rather constant when R ? H and R′ ? H, CH₃, CH₃CH₂; or when R ? NH₂ and R′ ? H, CH₃, or CH(CH₃)₂.     

Synthesis of poly(methyl methacrylate) macromonomer

Anionic polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) was carried out in tetrahydrofuran (THF) or THF/toluene mixture at ?78°C initiated by triphenylmethyl sodium or lithium as initiators. Highly syndiotactic PMMA of low polydispersity (M _w/m _n = 1.11–1.17) could be prepared with triphenylmethyl lithium in THF or THF/toluene mixture at ? 78°C. Moreover, PMMA macromonomer having one vinylbenzyl group per polymer chain was prepared by the couplings of living PMMA initiated by triphenylmethyl lithium with p-chloromethyl styrene (CMS) at ?78°C. The coupling reaction of living PMMA initiated by triphenylmethyl sodium with CMS was scarcely occurred.     

Synthesis and characterization of oligo-4-[(pyridin-3-ylimino)methyl]phenol

The oxidative polycondensation of 4-[(pyridin-3-ylimino)methyl]phenol (4-PIMP) with O₂, H₂O₂, and NaOCl was studied in an aqueous alkaline medium between 50°C and 90°C. Oligo-4-[(pyridin-3-ylimino)methyl]phenol (O-4-PIMP) prepared was characterized by ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR, FT-IR, UV-VIS, size-exclusion chromatography, and elemental and thermal analyses techniques. At the optimum reaction conditions, the yield of O-4-PIMP was 18.9%, 39.4%, and 46.8% using H₂O₂, O₂, and NaOCl oxidant, respectively. According to the TG analysis, the initial degradation temperature of O-4-PIMP was 218°C, which was by 50°C higher than that of 4-PIMP. Thermal analyses of 4-PIMP and O-4-PIMP were carried out in N₂ atmosphere at 15–1000°C. The highest occupied molecular orbital, the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital, and electrochemical energy gaps of 4-PIMP and O-4-PIMP were determined from the onset potentials for n-doping and p-doping, respectively. Also, optical band gaps of 4-PIMP and O-4-PIMP were determined according to UV-VIS measurements.     

Kinetics of polymerization of methyl methacrylate initiated with cyclohexanone. Part I

The kinetics of radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate were investigated in a dioxane solution with cyclohexanone as initiator. It was found that the overall rate of reaction initiated with cyclohexanone (R_p) is proportional to the concentration of monomer and to the square root of the concentration of the initiator. The effect of temperature on the R_p in the temperature range of 65–95°C was discussed. The Arrhenius activation energy E_a estimated for the temperature range of 65–75°C was 137 kJ mol^?1.     

Grafting onto wool. I. Ceric ion-initiated grafting of poly(methyl acrylate) onto wool

Poly(methyl acrylate) has been grafted onto wool by using ceric ion as redox initiator in an aqueous medium. Initiation by ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN) was carried out in the presence of nitric acid of varying concentration at 35, 45, and 50°C for a period of 1.5 or 3 hr. Percent grafting was found to be dependent on concentrations of acid and monomer, reaction time, and temperature. Above 45°C, a considerable amount of homopolymer was formed; at 35°C, very little grafting of poly(methyl acrylate) was observed. Nitric acid catalyzed the reaction and a concentration of 0.17–0.19M HNO₃ was found suitable.     

A novel class of organosoluble poly(arylene ether nitrile) copolymers containing methyl substituent and cardo xanthene moiety

9,9‐Bis(3‐methyl‐4‐hydroxyphenyl)xanthene (BMHPX) was synthesized in 72% yield by a HCl/ZnCl₂‐catalyzed condensation reaction of xanthenone with excess o‐cresol. Based on this new bisphenol monomer, a series of poly(arylene ether nitrile) (PAEN) and PAEN copolymers containing methyl substituent and cardo xanthene moiety were prepared by the nucleophilic substitution reaction of 2,6‐difluorobenzonitrile (DFBN) with BMHPX and with varying mole proportions of BMHPX to hydroquinone (HQ) (100/0–40/60) using N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (NMP) as solvent in the presence of anhydrous potassium carbonate. These polymers had inherent viscosities between 0.54 and 0.72 dl/g, and their weight‐average molecular weights and number‐average molecular weights were in the range of 32,600–36,400 and 17,300–18,300, respectively. All PAENs were amorphous and were soluble in dipolar aprotic solvents such as NMP and N,N‐dimethylacetamide (DMAc), and even in THF and chloroform at room temperature. The resulting polymers showed glass transition temperatures (T_g's) between 213–226°C, and the T_g values of the copolymers were found to increase with increase of the BMHPX units content in the polymer. Thermogravimetric studies showed that all the polymers were stable up to 404°C, with 10% weight loss temperatures ranging from 444 to 455°C, and char yields of 52–58% at 700°C in nitrogen. All new PAENs could be cast into transparent, strong, and flexible films with tensile strengths of 102–120 MPa, elongations at break of 14–18%, and tensile moduli of 3.3–3.7 GPa. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Polymerization of coordinated monomers. V. Polymerization of methyl methacrylate–Lewis acid complexes

The polymerization of the complex of methyl methacrylate with stannic chloride, aluminum trichloride, or boron trifluoride was carried out in toluene solution at several temperatures in the range of 60° to ?78°C by initiation of α,α′-azobisisobutyronicrile or by irradiation with ultraviolet rays. The tacticities of the resulting polymers were determined by NMR spectroscopy. Both the 1:1 and the 2:1 methyl methacrylate–SnCl₄ complexes gave polymers with similar tacticities at the polymerization temperatures above ?60°C. With decreasing temperature below ?60°C, the isotacticity was more favored for the 2:1 complex, whereas the tacticities did not change for the 1:1 complex. On the ESR spectroscopy of the polymerization solution under the irradiation of ultraviolet rays at ?120°C, the 1:1 SnCl₄ complex gave a quintet, while the 2:1 SnCl₄ complex gave both a quintet and a sextet. The sextet became weaker with increasing temperature and disappeared at ?60°C. This behavior of the sextet corresponds to the change of the tacticities of polymer for the 2:1 SnCl₄ complex. An intra–intercomplex addition was suggested for the polymerization of the 2:1 complex, which took a cis-configuration on the basis of its infrared spectra. The sextet can be ascribed to the radical formed by the intracomplex addition reaction, while the quintet can correspond to that formed by the intercomplex addition reaction. The proportion of the intracomplex reaction was estimated to be about 0.25 at ?75°C, and the calculated value of the probability of isotactic diad addition of the intracomplex reaction was found to be almost unity.     

Synthesis of methyl methacrylate,styrene, and isobutylene multiblock copolymers using atom transfer and cationic polymerization

ABCBA‐type pentablock copolymers of methyl methacrylate, styrene, and isobutylene (IB) were prepared by the cationic polymerization of IB in the presence of the α,ω‐dichloro‐PS‐b‐PMMA‐b‐PS triblock copolymer [where PS is polystyrene and PMMA is poly(methyl methacrylate)] as a macroinitiator in conjunction with diethylaluminum chloride (Et₂AlCl) as a coinitiator. The macroinitiator was prepared by a two‐step copper‐based atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The reaction temperature, ?78 or ?25 °C, significantly affected the IB content in the resulting copolymers; a higher content was obtained at ?78 °C. The formation of the PIB‐b‐PS‐b‐PMMA‐b‐PS‐b‐PIB copolymers (where PIB is polyisobutylene), prepared at ?25 (20.3 mol % IB) or ?78 °C (61.3 mol % IB; rubbery material), with relatively narrow molecular weight distributions provided direct evidence of the presence of labile chlorine atoms at both ends of the macroinitiator capable of initiation of cationic polymerization of IB. One glass‐transition temperature (T_g), 104.5 °C, was observed for the aforementioned triblock copolymer, and the pentablock copolymer containing 61.3 mol % IB showed two well‐defined T_g's: ?73.0 °C for PIB and 95.6 °C for the PS–PMMA blocks. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 3823–3830, 2005     

Effect of temperature and solvent on polymer tacticity in the free‐radical polymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate

The effect of temperature and solvent on polymer tacticity in free‐radical polymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate was studied by ¹³C and ¹H NMR, respectively. Polystyrene shows a mild syndiotactic tendency (P_m = 0.36 ± 0.02) that is independent of temperature over a wide range (?10 to 120 °C), while poly(methyl methacrylate) shows a stronger syndiotactic tendency (P_m = 0.17 ± 0.01 at 30 °C) that decreases as temperature is increased (P_m = 0.22 ± 0.02 at 80 °C). None of the polymerization solvents studied (bulk, THF, DMF, DMSO, acetonitrile, and acetone) had a significant effect on polymer tacticity in either system. The triad fractions of both polymers showed deviations from the Bernoulli model, implying that the antepenultimate unit affects the propagation reaction. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013 , 51, 3351–3358     

Reaction of H + ketene to formyl methyl and acetyl radicals and reverse dissociations

Thermochemical properties for reactants, intermediates, products, and transition states important in the ketene (CH₂?C?O) + H reaction system and unimolecular reactions of the stabilized formyl methyl (C·H₂CHO) and the acetyl radicals (CH₃C·O) were analyzed with density functional and ab initio calculations. Enthalpies of formation (ΔH_f°₂₉₈) were determined using isodesmic reaction analysis at the CBS‐QCI/APNO and the CBSQ levels. Entropies (S°₂₉₈) and heat capacities (C_p°(T)) were determined using geometric parameters and vibrational frequencies obtained at the HF/6‐311G(d,p) level of theory. Internal rotor contributions were included in the S and C_p(T) values. A hydrogen atom can add to the CH₂‐group of the ketene to form the acetyl radical, CH₃C·O (E_a = 2.49 in CBS‐QCI/APNO, units: kcal/mol). The acetyl radical can undergo β‐scission back to reactants, CH₂?C?O + H (E_a = 45.97), isomerize via hydrogen shift (E_a = 46.35) to form the slight higher energy, formyl methyl radical, C·H₂CHO, or decompose to CH₃ + CO (E_a = 17.33). The hydrogen atom also can add to the carbonyl group to form C·H₂CHO (E_a = 6.72). This formyl methyl radical can undergo β scission back to reactants, CH₂?C?O + H (E_a = 43.85), or isomerize via hydrogen shift (E_a = 40.00) to form the acetyl radical isomer, CH₃C·O, which can decompose to CH₃ + CO. Rate constants are estimated as function of pressure and temperature, using quantum Rice–Ramsperger–Kassel analysis for k(E) and the master equation for falloff. Important reaction products are CH₃ + CO via decomposition at both high and low temperatures. A transition state for direct abstraction of hydrogen atom on CH₂?C?O by H to form, ketenyl radical plus H₂ is identified with a barrier of 12.27, at the CBS‐QCI/APNO level. ΔH_f°₂₉₈ values are estimated for the following compounds at the CBS‐QCI/APNO level: CH₃C·O (?3.27), C·H₂CHO (3.08), CH₂?C?O (?11.89), HC·CO (41.98) (kcal/mol). © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 35: 20–44, 2003     

Emulsion copolymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate

Chain transfer constants to monomer have been measured by an emulsion copolymerization technique at 44°C. The monomer transfer constant (ratio of transfer to propagation rate constants) is 1.9 × 10^?5 for styrene polymerization and 0.4 × 10^?5 for the methyl methacrylate reaction. Cross-transfer reactions are important in this system; the sum of the cross-transfer constants is 5.8 × 10^?5. Reactivity ratios measured in emulsion were r₁ (styrene) = 0.44, r₂ = 0.46. Those in bulk polymerizations were r₁ = 0.45, r₂ = 0.48. These sets of values are not significantly different. Monomer feed compcsition in the polymerizing particles is the same as in the monomer droplets in emulsion copolymerization, despite the higher water solubility of methyl methacrylate. The equilibrium monomer concentration in the particles in interval-2 emulsion polymerization was constant and independent of monomer feed composition for feeds containing 0.25–1.0 mole fraction styrene. Radical concentration is estimated to go through a minimum with increasing methyl methacrylate content in the feed. Rates of copolymerization can be calculated a priori when the concentrations of monomers in the polymer particles are known.     

A new method for the polymerization of methyl methacrylate

Dialkyl iodomethylmalonates in the presence of tetrabutylammonium iodide initiate the polymerization of methyl methacrylate, but not of methyl acrylate or acrylonitrile. Typically, at 60°C in 1,3-dimethyltetrahydro-2-1H-pyrimidone (DMPU) as the solvent, poly(methyl methacrylate (PMMA)) is obtained in the number-average molecular weight range of 2 000 to 8 000, the molecular weight distribution being fairly narrow (ratio of weight- to number-average molecular weights M̄_w/M̄_n 1.2–1.3).     

Synthesis of dimethyl 3-perfluoroalkyl-4-(3-oxo-2-triphenyl-phosphoranylidenbutanylidene)-pent-2-enedioate and its cyclization

The title compounds 5a-5c were prepared via the reaction of methyl 2-perfluoroal-kynoates (4) with methyl 5-oxo-4-(triphenylphosphoranylidene)hex-2-enoate (3), which was obtained from the reaction of methyl propynate (2) with acetylmethylenetriphenylphosphorane (1) at -5-0℃. Intramolecular elimination of Ph3PO took place when compound 5 was heated in aqueous methanol at 115-120℃ in sealed tube, yielding dimethyl 2-trifluoromethyl-4-methylisophthalate (6a) from 5a and methyl 5-acetyl-4-hydroxy-2-heptafluoropropanylbenzoate (6b) from 5b, respectively. The structures of compounds 5, 6a and 6b were confirmed by IR, MS, 1H NMR, 19F NMR and 13C NMR spectroscopy and elemental analyses. Rection mechanisms for the formation of compounds 5, 6a and 6b were proposed.     

Chain transfer constants for vinyl monomers polymerized in methyl oleate and methyl stearate

Chain transfer constants were obtained for styrene, methyl methacrylate, methyl acrylate and vinyl acetate, polymerized in methyl oleate and methyl stearate at 60°C. Transfer constants increased in the order: methyl methacrylate < styrene < methyl acrylate ? vinyl acetate in both solvents. Average values of the transfer parameters were: for methyl oleate, Q_tr = 2.04 × 10^?4, e_tr = 1.08; for methyl stearate, Q_tr = 0.373 × 10^?4, e_tr = 1.01. Indication that polar species predominate in the transition state is supported by the observed order of reactivity. The usual rate dependence appeared to be followed by all of the monomers except vinyl acetate, which was retarded, severely in methyl oleate. Transfer in methyl oleate was about 5.8 times greater than that found in methyl stearate for these four monomers. The internal allylic double bond of methyl oleate had about the same reactivity in transfer as had the terminal unsaturation in N-allylstearamide at 90°C. Rough estimates were obtained of the monomer transfer constants for the long side-chain homologs of these four monomers from the respective monomer transfer constants and the experimental transfer constants, corrected for transfer to the labile groups of the solvent. It was concluded that the rate of polymerization would determine in large measure the degree of polymerization for the reactive 18-carbon homologs but that the molecular weight of poly(vinyl stearate) and (oleate) will be regulated primarily by transfer to monomer.     

N‐[Tris(hydroxymethyl)methyl]glycine (tricine)

The title compound, C₆H₁₃NO₅, adopts a zwitterionic form where the carboxylic acid H atom is transferred to the amino group. The methyl–glycine backbone is planar. The tris(hydroxy­methyl)­methyl group is rotated as a rigid group around the amino–methyl bond by 22 (1)° and the carboxylic acid plane is rotated by 19.76 (12)° from the plane of the main skeleton. Apart from their H atoms, the three hydroxy­methyl groups adopt a propeller‐like conformation around the amino–methyl bond, close to C₃ symmetry.     

Characterization of fatty acid methyl esters by thermal analysis

The thermal stability of selected straight-chain (C₆-C₁₄) esters of fatty acids has been studied by TG-DTG and DTA analysis. In DTG, a peak is detected between 84° and 125° C followed by a main effect in the range 105°–215°C, whereas in DTA only an exothermic peak appears in the range of 126.5° to 187°C (onset temperatures). The temperatures of these effects have been related with ignition points, molecular weights and boiling points. The characteristics of melting and recrystallization of the above fatty acid methyl esters and those with carbon numbers between C₁₄ and C₂₄ have been established by DSC along the melting range between ?83° and 50°C. Polymorphism appears in caproic, heptanoic, palmitic and stearic acid methyl esters.     

Atom transfer radical polymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate catalyzed by FeCl2/iminodiacetic acid

The atom transfer radical polymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate with FeCl₂/iminodiacetic acid as the catalyst system in bulk was successfully implemented at 70 and 110 °C, respectively. The polymerization was controlled: the molecular weight of the resultant polymer was close to the calculated value, and the molecular weight distribution was relatively narrow (weight‐average molecular weight/number‐average molecular weight ∼ 1.5). Block copolymers of polystyrene‐b‐poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(methyl methacrylate)‐b‐poly(methyl acrylate) were successfully synthesized, confirming the living nature of the polymerization. A small amount of water added to the reaction system increased the reaction rate and did not affect the living nature of the polymerization system. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 4308–4314, 2000     

Kinetics and mechanism of aqueous oxidation of H2S by Fe+3

The reaction kinetics of aqueous oxidation of H₂S by Fe⁺³ is investigated at 25°C by spectrophotometric method. The study conducted at various reactant concentrations and pH revealed that the reaction proceeds according to complex‐series reactions involving polysulfides as intermediates. The reaction of each step is first order with respect to Fe⁺³ and hydrogen sulfide or polysulfide. A mechanism is proposed, involving sulfido and polysulfido radicals. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 31: 331–335, 1999     

The kinetics and mechanism of the pyrolysis elimination of methyl 4-bromocrotonate

The pyrolysis of methyl 4-bromocrotonate in the temperature range 300–340°C and pressure range 74–170 torr has been shown to be homogeneous, unimolecular, and to follow a first-order rate law. The reaction was carried out in a static system, seasoned with allyl bromide, and in the presence of the radical chain exhibitor toluene. The rate coefficients are represented by the Arrhenius expression: log k₁(s^?1) = (13.30 ± 0.66) ? (185.2 ± 7.5) kJ mol^?1 (2.303RT)^?1. The carbomethoxy group appears to provide anchimeric assistance in the process of dehydrobromination and lactone products formation. The partial rates for the parallel reaction have been estimated, reported, and discussed. The pyrolysis elimination is explained in terms of an intimate ion pair-type of mechanism.     

Ring formation on heating poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-ammonium maleamate)

Poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-ammonium maleamate), when heated at up to 100°C while removing volatiles, is converted to polymer whose infrared, elemental analysis and T_g are consistent with a structure predominantly that of poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-maleic anhydride). Maleimide comonomer units are a substantially lesser component. Evidence is presented that a part of the reaction sequence may involve hydrolysis of imide or amide.