Pursuit of reinitiation efficiency of resonance‐stabilized monomeric allyl radical generated via “degradative monomer chain transfer” in allyl polymerization

For a deeper understanding of allyl polymerization mechanism, the reinitiation efficiency of resonance‐stabilized monomeric allyl radical was pursued because in allyl polymerization it is commonly conceived that the monomeric allyl radical generated via the allylic hydrogen abstraction of growing polymer radical from monomer, i.e., “degradative monomer chain transfer,” has much less tendency to initiate a new polymer chain and, therefore, this monomer chain transfer is essentially a termination reaction. Based on the renewed allyl polymerization mechanism in our preceding article, the monomer chain transfer constant in the polymerization of allyl benzoate was estimated to be 2.7 × 10^?2 at 80 °C under the polymerization condition, where the coupling termination reaction of growing polymer radical with allyl radical was negligible and, concurrently, the reinitiation reaction of allyl radical was enhanced significantly. The reinitiation efficiencies of monomeric allyl radical were pursued by the dead‐end polymerizations of allyl benzoate at 80, 105, and 130 °C using a small amount of initiators; they increased remarkably with raised temperature. Thus, the enhanced reinitiation reactivity of allyl radical at an elevated temperature could bias the well‐known degradative monomer chain transfer characteristic of allyl polymerization toward the chain transfer in common vinyl polymerization. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010     

Copolymerization of diallyl isophthalate with methyl methacrylate and styrene in the presence of C60 fullerene

The involvement of fullerene in the radical copolymerization of diallyl isophthalate with methyl methacrylate or styrene results in a change in the relative activity of monomers owing to the interaction of C₆₀ with the allyl radical yielding a “quo;new,”quo; more active radical. This corresponds to the transition from degradative chain transfer to effective transfer to the allyl compound. It is of great importance that, at an amount of diallyl isophthalate in the monomer mixture of up to 10 mol %, C₆₀ fullerene is almost completely incorporated into macromolecules.     

Soluble high polymers from allyl methacrylate

Allyl methacrylate has been polymerized by free-radical methods and found to yield a soluble polymer in carbon tetrachloride, dioxane, and diallyl ether solutions. The overall rate equation in diallyl ether is R_p = k[ln]^0.7[M]^1.6. It is suggested that propagation and cyclization reactions proceed only via addition to the methacrylyl groups of the monomer. Some degradative chain transfer occurs with the allyl groups, and it is considered that the solvents may ensure the production of soluble polymers by reactions in which allyl–radical side chains are terminated without crosslinking.     

Modelling free-radical copolymerization kinetics—evaluation of the pseudo-kinetic rate constant method, 2. Molecular weight calculations for copolymers with long chain branching

The full moment equations and equations using pseudo-kinetic rate constants for binary copolymerization with chain transfer to polymer in the context of the terminal model have been developed and solved numerically for a batch reactor operating over a wide range of conditions. Calculated number- and weight-average molecular weights (M̄_n and M̄_w) were compared with those found using the pseudo-kinetic rate constant method (PKRCM). The results show that the weight-average molecular weights calculated using PKRCM are in agreement with those found using the method of full moments for binary copolymerization when polymeric radical fractions φ₁^˙ and φ₂^˙ of type 1 and 2 (radical centers are on monomer types 1 and 2 for a binary copolymerization) are calculated accounting for chain transfer to small molecules and polymer reactions in addition to propagation reactions. Errors in calculating M̄_w using PKRCM are not always negligible when polymer radical fractions are calculated neglecting chain transfer to small molecules and polymer. In this case, the relative error in M̄_w by PKRCM increases with increase in monomer conversion, extent of copolymer compositional drift and chain transfer to polymer rates. The errors in calculating M̄_w, however, vanish over the entire monomer conversion range for all polymerization conditions when chain transfer reactions are properly taken into account. It is theoretically proven that the pseudo-kinetic rate constant for chain transfer to polymer is valid for copolymerizations. One can therefore conclude that the pseudo-kinetic rate constant method is a valid method for molecular weight modelling for binary and multicomponent polymerizations.     

Cyclo- and cyclized diene polymers. XVI. Nature of the active species and a proposed mechanism of cyclopolymerization of isoprene with catalysts containing ethylaluminum halides

The polymerization of isoprene with C₂H₅AlCl₂ to yield solid cyclopolyisoprene is markedly accelerated by the addition of TiCl₄. The polymer yield passes through a maximum on increasing the catalyst reaction time with or without monomer present. The active species are probably cations formed by dissociation of the reaction product of C₂H₅AlCl₂ and TiCl₄. The polymerization of isoprene with (C₂H₅)₂AlX–TiCl₄ (X = F, Br, Cl) has maximum activity at an Al/Ti mole ratio of 0.75 corresponding to conversion of R₂AlX to RAIX₂ which then reacts with remaining TiCl₄. A proposed mechanism of cyclopolymerization of conjugated dienes involves monomer activation, i.e., conversion to cation radical by one-electron transfer to catalyst cation which is itself neutralized, addition of cation end of monomer cation radical to terminal or internal unsaturation of fused cyclohexane polymer chain, one-electron transfer from “neutral” catalyst to cation on polymer chain which is then transformed to a diradical which undergoes coupling to form a cyclohexene ring. The mechanism of the “living” polymerization involves addition of catalyst-activated monomer to a “dead” polymer with a terminal cyclohexene ring and regeneration of the active catalyst.     

Synthesis and characterization of highly random copolymer of ϵ-caprolactone and D,L-lactide using rare earth catalyst

Highly random copolymers of ϵ-caprolactone (CL) and D ,L -lactide (LA) were synthesized by a new catalyst system, rare earth chloride–propylene oxide (PO) system. In the presence of propylene oxide, all rare earth chlorides tested are highly effective for the copolymerization. The influences of reaction conditions on the copolymerization catalyzed by the NdCl₃-5PO system have been investigated in detail. The reactivity ratios of ϵ-caprolactone and D ,L -lactide were determined and show that the copolymerization with this new rare earth catalyst is closer to ideal copolymerization than reported for other catalysts. The microstructure of copolymer analyzed by ¹³C-NMR shows that the monomer units in the copolymer is near to completely random distribution with a short average monomer sequence length. The DSC measurement confirms the high randomness of the chain structure. The mechanism studied by NMR indicates that the rare earth alkoxide generated by the reaction of rare earth chloride with propylene oxide initiates the copolymerization, and then proceeds via a “coordination-insertion” mechanism with acyl-oxygen bond cleavage of CL and LA. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Kinetic study of the crosslinking reaction of 1,2‐polybutadiene with dicumyl peroxide in the absence and presence of vinyl acetate

The crosslinking reaction of 1,2-polybutadiene (1,2-PB) with dicumyl peroxide (DCPO) in dioxane was kinetically studied by means of Fourier transform near-infrared spectroscopy (FTNIR). The crosslinking reaction was followed in situ by the monitoring of the disappearance of the pendant vinyl group of 1,2-PB with FTNIR. The initial disappearance rate (R₀) of the vinyl group was expressed by R₀ = k[DCPO]^0.8[vinyl group]^−0.2 (120 °C). The overall activation energy of the reaction was estimated to be 38.3 kcal/mol. The unusual rate equation was explained in terms of the polymerization of the pendant vinyl group as an allyl monomer involving degradative chain transfer to the monomer. The reaction mixture involved electron spin resonance (ESR)-observable polymer radicals, of which the concentration rapidly increased with time owing to a progress of crosslinking after an induction period of 200 min. The crosslinking reaction of 1,2-PB with DCPO was also examined in the presence of vinyl acetate (VAc), which was regarded as a copolymerization of the vinyl group with VAc. The vinyl group of 1,2-PB was found to show a reactivity much higher than 1-octene and 3-methyl-1-hexene as model compounds in the copolymerization with VAc. This unexpectedly high reactivity of the vinyl group suggested that an intramolecular polymerization process proceeds between the pendant vinyl groups located on the same polymer chain, possibly leading to the formation of block-like polymer. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 4437–4447, 2004     

Studies on the charge transfer complex and polymerization. XIV. Spontaneous copolymerization of 1-methylcyclopropene and sulfur dioxide

Copolymerization between 1-methylcyclopropene (MCP) and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) was studied. It took place spontaneously even at a low temperature, and was found to be consistent with polymerization by a “living” radical, as suggested by the increase of reduced viscosity with conversion and by the formation of block polymers in the presence of acrylates. The rate of copolymerization was proportional to [MCP]³ and [SO₂]², and the overall activation energy of copolymerization was about 15.1 kcal/mole. A tentative mechanism to explain the experimental results is discussed.     

Facile one‐pot/one‐step technique for preparation of side‐chain functionalized polymers: Combination of SET‐RAFT polymerization of azide vinyl monomer and click chemistry

An azido‐containing functional monomer, 11‐azido‐undecanoyl methacrylate, was successfully polymerized via ambient temperature single electron transfer initiation and propagation through the reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (SET‐RAFT) method. The polymerization behavior possessed the characteristics of “living”/controlled radical polymerization. The kinetic plot was first order, and the molecular weight of the polymer increased linearly with the monomer conversion while keeping the relatively narrow molecular weight distribution (M_w/M_n ≤ 1.22). The complete retention of azido group of the resulting polymer was confirmed by ¹H NMR and FTIR analysis. Retention of chain functionality was confirmed by chain extension with methyl methacrylate to yield a diblock copolymer. Furthermore, the side‐chain functionalized polymer could be prepared by one‐pot/one‐step technique, which is combination of SET‐RAFT and “click chemistry” methods. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

AGET ATRP of water‐soluble PEGMA: Fast living radical polymerization mediated by iron catalyst

In this work, living radical polymerizations of a water‐soluble monomer poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether methacylate (PEGMA) in bulk with low‐toxic iron catalyst system, including iron chloride hexahydrate and triphenylphosphine, were carried out successfully. Effect of reaction temperature and catalyst concentration on the polymerization of PEGMA was investigated. The polymerization kinetics showed the features of “living”/controlled radical polymerization. For example, M_n,GPC values of the resultant polymers increased linearly with monomer conversion. A faster polymerization of PEGMA could be obtained in the presence of a reducing agent Fe(0) wire or ascorbic acid. In the case of Fe(0) wire as the reducing agent, a monomer conversion of 80% was obtained in 80 min of reaction time at 90 °C, yielding a water‐soluble poly(PEGMA) with M_n = 65,500 g mol^?1 and M_w/M_n = 1.39. The features of “living”/controlled radical polymerization of PEGMA were verified by analysis of chain‐end and chain‐extension experiments. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Long branching in poly(vinyl acetate) and poly(vinyl alcohol). III. Kinetic study of the branching reaction in the radical polymerization of vinyl acetate

The branching reaction in the radical polymerization of vinyl acetate was studied kinetically. Branching occurs by polymer transfer as well as terminal double-bond copolymerization. The chain-transfer constants to the main chain (C_p,2) and to the acetoxy methyl group (C_p,1) on the polymer were calculated on the basis of the experimental data described in the preceding paper giving C_p,2 = 3.03 × 10^?4, C_p,1 = 1.27 × 10^?4 at 60°C, and C_p,2 = 2.48 × 10^?4, C_p,1 = 0.52 × 10^?4 at 0°C. Chain transfer to monomer is important with respect to the formation of the terminal double bond. The total values of transfer constants to the α- or β-position in the vinyl group and the acetoxymethyl group in vinyl acetate was determined to be 2.15 × 10^?4 at 60°C. The transfer constant to the acetyl group in the monomer (C_m,1) was also evaluated to be 2.26 × 10^?4 at 60°C from the quantitative determination of the carboxyl terminals in PVA. These facts suggest that the chain-transfer constant to the α- or β-position in the monomer (C_m,2) is nearly equal to zero within experimental error. Copolymerization reactivity parameters of the terminal double bond were also estimated. In conclusion, it has become clear that the formation of nonhydrolyzable branching by the terminal double-bond reaction can be almost neglected, and hence that the long branching in PVA is formed only by the polymer transfer mechanism. On the other hand, a large number of hydrolyzable branches in PVAc are prepared by the terminal double-bond reaction rather than by polymer transfer.     

Modeling and Experimentation of RAFT Solution Copolymerization of Styrene and Butyl Acrylate,Effect of Chain Transfer Reactions on Polymer Molecular Weight Distribution

Chain transfer reactions widely exist in the free radical polymerization and controlled radical polymerization, which can significantly influence polymer molecular weight and molecular weight distribution. In this work, the chain transfer reactions in modeling the reversible addition–fragmentation transfer (RAFT) solution copolymerization are included and the effects of chain transfer rate constant, monomer concentration, and comonomer ratio on the polymerization kinetics and polymer molecular weight development are investigated. The model is verified with the experimental RAFT solution copolymerization of styrene and butyl acrylate, with good agreements achieved. This work has demonstrated that the chain transfer reactions to monomer and solvent can have significant impacts on the number‐average molecular weight (M_n) and dispersity (Ð).     

Mechanism of alternating copolymerization of polar and hydrocarbon polymers

Radical copolymerization of butyl methacrylate with 2,3-dimethylbutadiene in the presence of Al(C₂H₅)₂Cl or ZnCl₂ results in alternating copolymers. The nature of active centers and the mechanism of polymerization in these systems have been studied by means of ESR measurements in combination with calorimetry at low temperatures. The active centers are monoradicals propagating by alternative addition of single monomer molecules; thus the reaction can be described in terms of a conventional kinetic scheme of radical additional polymerization. Participation of binary donor—acceptor complexes of the monomers in the reaction has not been confirmed. Similar conclusions have been drawn for the other alternating system studied, maleic anhydride–2,3-dimethylbutadiene. The feasibility of formation of alternating copolymers in the studied systems by the conventional mechanism of binary radical copolymerization has been confirmed by qualitative quantum-chemical treatment of the propagation reactions with due account to the donor–acceptor interactions in the transition state.     

Effect of solvent on the copolymerization of ethylene and vinyl acetate

The ethylene (M₁)–vinyl acetate (M₂) copolymerization at 62°C and 35 kg/cm² with α,α′-azo-bisisobutyronitrile as initiator has been studied in four different solvents, viz., tert-butyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, benzene, and N,N-dimethylformamide. The experimental method used was based on frequent measurement of the composition of the reaction mixture throughout the copolymerization reaction by means of quantitative gas chromatographic analysis. Highly accurate monomer reactivity ratios have been calculated by means of the curve-fitting I procedure. The observed dependence of the r values on the nature of the solvent is surprisingly large and can be correlated with the volume changes (= excess volumes) observed on mixing vinyl acetate (VAc) with the relevant solvent. An increased hydrogen bonding or dipole–dipole interaction through the carbonyl moiety of the acetate side group of VAc, induces a decreased electron density on the vinyl group of VAc, which in turn leads to a decreased VAc reactivity. The differences among the overall rates of copolymerization in the various solvents can be interpreted in terms of a variable chain transfer to solvent and the rate of the subsequent reinitiation by the solvent radical. In the case of benzene, complex formation is believed to play an important part.     

Propagation Mechanism of Radical Copolymerization of Sulfur Dioxide and Vinyl Chloride

Radical copolymerization of sulfur dioxide and vinyl chloride (VC) has been studied by the comparison of the composition of copolymers obtaining from different reaction conditions, i.e., reaction temperatures, feed compositions, and total monomer concentrations. The composition of VC in copolymer is independent of comonomer composition except at high concentration of VC in feed; it increases with increasing reaction temperature or decreasing total monomer concentration. At lower temperature, the composition of copolymer becomes independent of total monomer concentration. The overall rate of polymerization is proportional to [VC]^1,7 and [SO₂]^0.5. These results were compared with those obtained in our previous study on the SO₂-styrene copolymerization. A propagation mechanism for radical copolymerization of SO₂ and VC is also proposed.     

Radiation-induced copolymerization of methyl trifluoroacrylate with propylene

Copolymerization of methyl trifluoroacrylate (MTFA) with propylene in bulk was induced by γ irradiation. A wide range of the initial monomer composition gives an equimolar alternating co-polymer. The reactivity ratios of r₁ (MTFA) and r₂ (propylene) were determined to be 0.01 and 0.005, respectively. The polymerization rate at an equimolar monomer composition is proportional to the 1.0 power of the dose rate. The dose rate dependency of higher than 0.5 may be ascribed to unimolecular termination due to a degradative chain transfer of propagating radicals to propylene. The G values of the initiating radical formation and the polymerization reaction were calculated to be 1.78 and 1336, respectively. The dependence of the copolymerization rate on the temperature was small, and the activation energy of copolymerization was 1.1 kcal/mole from ?6 to 50°C.     

Room‐temperature RAFT copolymerization of 2‐chloroallyl azide with methyl acrylate and versatile applications of the azide copolymers

A new vinyl azide monomer, 2‐chlorallyl azide (CAA), has been synthesized from commercially available reagent in one step. The reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) copolymerization of CAA with methyl acrylate (MA) was carried out at room temperature using a redox initiator, benzoyl peroxide (BPO)/N,N‐dimethylaniline (DMA), in the presence of benzyl 1H‐imidazole‐1‐carbodithioate (BICDT). The polymerization results showed that the process bears the characteristics of controlled/living radical polymerizations, such as the molecular weight increasing linearly with the monomer conversion, the molecular weight distribution being narrow, and a linear relationship existing between ln([M]₀/[M]) and the polymerization time. Chain extension polymerization was performed successfully to prepare block copolymer. Furthermore, the azide copolymers were functionalized by Cu^I‐catalyzed “click” reaction with alkyne‐containing poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) to yield graft copolymers with hydrophilic PEG side chains. Surface modification of the glass sheet was successfully achieved via the crosslinking reaction of the azide copolymer under UV irradiation at ambient temperature. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 1348–1356, 2010     

FURTHER STUDY OF ALLYL ETHERS AND RELATED COMPOUNDS AS TRANSFER AGENTS IN RADICAL POLYMERIZATIONS

Allyl glycidyl ether (AGE), allyl 1,1,2,3,3,3-hexafluoropropyl ether (AFE), allyl 2-naphthyl ether (ANE), 2-vinyl-1,3-dioxolane (2VD) and allyl alcohol (AA) have been examined as transfer agents in the radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) at 60°C; the transfer constants are 1.1 × 10^?3, 0.1 × 10^?3, 0.2 × 10^?3, 1.1 × 10^?3 and 0.6 × 10^?3, respectively. AFE and AA barely affect the rate of polymerization: AGE, ANE, and 2VD act as weak retarders. There is no direct correlation between effectiveness as a transfer agent and the extent of retardation for these additives. For copolymerization with MMA (monomer-1), the monomer reactivity ratios r₁ are 42 ± 5 and 32 ± 5 for AGE and ANE, respectively; for both cases, r₂ is very close to zero; 2VD engages in copolymerization with MMA to a negligible extent. Experiments involving styrene or acrylonitrile gave results consistent with those obtained using MMA.     

Investigation of the radical copolymerization and terpolymerization of maleic anhydride and norbornenes by an in situ 1H NMR analysis of kinetics and by the mercury method: Evidence for the lack of charge‐transfer‐complex propagation

The radical copolymerization of electron‐deficient maleic anhydride (MA) and electron‐rich norbornene (NB) derivatives with 2,2′‐azobis(isobutyronitrile) (AIBN) in dioxane‐d₈ has been monitored in situ by ¹H NMR spectroscopy with free induction decays recorded every 30 min at 60, 70, or 84 °C. The ratios of the monomer pairs were varied in some cases. The NB derivatives employed in this study included bicyclo[2.2.1]hept‐2‐ene (NB), t‐butyl 5‐norbornene‐2‐carboxylate, methyl 5‐norbornene‐2‐methyl‐2‐carboxylate, and ethyl tetracyclo[4.4.0.1^2,5.1^7,10]dodec‐3‐ene‐8‐carboxylate. Decomposition of AIBN, consumption of the monomers, feed ratios, endo/exo ratios, copolymer compositions, and copolymer yields were studied as a function of polymerization time. Furthermore, a homopolymerizable third monomer (t‐butyl methacrylate, methacrylic acid, t‐butyl acrylate, or acrylic acid) was added to the NB/MA 1/1 system, revealing that the methacrylic monomer polymerizes rapidly in the early stage and that the ratio of MA to NB in the terpolymer strongly deviates from 1/1. In contrast, however, the acrylic monomers are more uniformly incorporated into the polymer. Nevertheless, these studies indicate that MA and NB do not always behave as a pair in radical polymerization and disproves the commonly believed charge‐transfer mechanism. Electron‐deficient fumaronitrile was also included in the kinetics study. To further understand the copolymerization mechanism, MA and NB were competitively reacted with a cyclohexyl radical generated by the treatment of cyclohexylmercuric chloride with sodium borohydride (mercury method). A gas chromatographic analysis of the reaction mixtures has revealed that a cyclohexyl radical reacts with MA almost exclusively in competition and that the cyclohexyl adduct of MA essentially accounts for all the products in a mass balance experiment, eliminating a possibility of the formation of an adduct involving the MA–NB charge‐transfer complex. Thus, the participation of a charge‐transfer complex in the copolymerization of MA and NB cannot be important. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 3521–3542, 2000     

Charge transfer complex formation in in-situ maleic anhydride and N-vinyl caprolactam copolymer and copolymer/organo-montmorillonite nanoarchitectures

The binary copolymerization of maleic anhydride (MA) and N-vinyl caprolactam (VCL) or considered as acceptor (A)?donor (D) monomer systems were used (MA:VCL) 50:50 in BPO (0.5%) as an initiator at 70°C under nitrogen atmosphere. The functional copolymers, having a combination of rigid/flexible linkages and an ability of complex-formation with interlayered surface of organo-silicate, and their nanocomposites have been synthesized. Interlamellar in situ complex-radical copolymerization of intercalated monomer complexes of MA and VCL undergoes with stearyl amine surface modified montmorillonite (O-MMT) and monomer mixtures. Charge transfer complex formation was followed and identified by UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy. Equilibrium constant (K_AD) molar absorption coefficient (?^AD)) of the complex were determined by the Benesi-Hildebrand, Scott and Ketaalar equations respectively. The results show that copolymerization of MA:VCL system was preceded via alternating copolymerization mechanism. Obtained functional alternating copolymer and copolymer/O-MMT nanostructures were characterized by XRD and TEM.