Synthesis and characterization of copolyperoxides of indene with styrene, α‐methylstyrene,and α‐phenylstyrene

The oxidative copolymerization of indene with styrene, α‐methylstyrene, and α‐phenylstyrene is investigated. Copolyperoxides of different compositions have been synthesized by the free‐radical‐initiated oxidative copolymerization of indene with vinyl monomers. The compositions of the copolyperoxides obtained from the ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra have been used to determine the reactivity ratios of the monomers. The reactivity ratios indicate that indene forms an ideal copolyperoxide with styrene and α‐methylstyrene and alternating copolyperoxides with α‐phenylstyrene. Thermal degradation studies via differential scanning calorimetry and electron‐impact mass spectroscopy support the alternating peroxide units in the copolyperoxide chain. The activation energy for thermal degradation suggests that the degradation is dependent on the dissociation of the peroxide (? O? O? ) bonds in the backbone of the copolyperoxide chain. Their flexibility has been examined in terms of the glass‐transition temperature. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 2004–2017, 2002     

Oxidative copolymerization of indene with p‐tert‐butylstyrene: Synthesis,characterization, thermal analysis,and reactivity ratios

Copolyperoxides of indene and p‐tert‐butylstyrene of different compositions were synthesized by free‐radical‐initiated oxidative copolymerization. The compositions of the copolyperoxides, obtained from ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra, were used to calculate the reactivity ratios of the monomers. The reactivity ratios indicated a larger proportion of indene units in random placement in the copolyperoxides. Thermal‐degradation studies by differential scanning calorimetry and electron‐impact mass spectrometry supported alternating peroxide units in the copolymer backbone. The activation energy for thermal degradation suggested that the degradation was dependent on the dissociation of the peroxide (? O? O? ) bonds in the backbone of the copolyperoxide chain. The flexibility of the copolyperoxides was examined in terms of the glass‐transition temperature. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 9–18, 2002     

Reactivity ratios for the oxidative copolymerizations of indene with methyl methacrylate and methacrylonitrile

The copolyperoxides of indene with methyl methacrylate and methacrylonitrile have been synthesized by the free-radical-initiated oxidative copolymerization of indene and the monomers. The compositions of copolyperoxides, obtained from 1H and 13C NMR spectra, have been utilized to determine the reactivity ratios. The reactivity ratios indicate that the copolyperoxides contain a large proportion of the indene units in random placement. Thermal degradation studies of the copolyperoxides by differential scanning calorimetry and electron-impact mass spectroscopy support alternating peroxide units in the copolyperoxide chain. The energy of activation for thermal degradation suggests that the degradation is controlled by the dissociation of the peroxide (-O-O-) bonds in the copolyperoxide chain. The flexibility of copolyperoxide in terms of glass transition temperature (T_g) has also been examined.     

Composition-dependent crystallization behavior of copolyperoxides from methyl methacrylate and 4-vinylbenzyl stearate

To study the composition-dependent crystallization behavior of copolyperoxides, herein a series of copolymers were prepared by varying the ratios of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and 4-vinylbenzyl stearate (VBS) under 100 psi oxygen pressure using AIBN as an initiator at 50°C in toluene. Both ¹³C NMR and electron impact mass spectroscopy (EI-MS) approved an alternative placement of either of the monomer and peroxy (–O–O–) links throughout the polymer chain. Thermal stability of the resulting copolyperoxides was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and the degradation fragments have been recognized from EI-MS study. In addition, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) displayed an endothermic peak as well as an exotherm associated with the melting of the side chain crystalline domains and degradation of –O–O– links in the polymer main chain, respectively. Furthermore, DSC thermograms unveiled a systematic decrease of the crystalline melting temperature (T_m) with the enhancement of MMA content in the copolymers. Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) revealed the existence of lamellar morphology (depends on VBS content in the copolyperoxide) in the synthesized polyperoxide materials, further supported by atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis showing a layered fibrillar assembly with multiple heights of the lamella. The significant crystalline nature of the polyperoxides was further evidenced from the appearance of lattice fringes in the transmission electron microscope (TEM) micrographs. The crystalline morphology with birefringent texture was further evidenced from the polarized optical microscopy (POM) study. Thus, the present study reported the effective variation of crystalline behavior in copolyperoxide materials with the incorporation of MMA units in the copolyperoxide chains.     

Copper(0)‐mediated radical copolymerization of vinyl acetate and acrylonitrile in DMSO at ambient temperature

In this work, Cu(0)‐mediated radical copolymerization of vinyl acetate (VAc) and acrylonitrile (AN) was explored. The polymerization was carried out at 25°C with 2,2′‐bipyridine as ligand and dimethyl sulfoxide as solvent. The copolymerization proceeded smoothly producing moderately controlled molecular weights at low VAc feed ratios. The high VAc feed ratios generated low polymerization rate and poorly controlled molecular weights. FTIR, ¹H NMR, and differential scanning calorimetry confirmed the successful obtaining of the copolymers. Based on ¹H NMR spectra, the reactivity ratios of VAc and AN were calculated to be 0.003 and 1.605, respectively. This work conveyed the first example for the Cu(0)‐mediated radical polymerization of AN and VAc, wherein VAc cannot be homopolymerized by Cu(0)‐mediated radical polymerization technique. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Degradable alternating polyperoxides from poly(ethylene glycol)‐substituted styrenic monomers with water solubility and thermoresponsiveness

Water soluble alternating copolymers were prepared by oxidative free radical copolymerization of 4‐vinylbenzyl methoxypoly(oxyethylene) ether (PEGSt) and molecular oxygen at 50 °C. NMR spectroscopy established alternate sequence of PEGSt and peroxy bonds ( O O ) along the polymer main‐chain. The obtained polymers show temperature induced hydrophilic to hydrophobic phase separation, confirmed by UV‐visible spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering. The cloud point temperature (T_CP) of the polymers can be tuned by changing the chain length of side‐chain poly(ethylene oxide) and incorporation of hydrophobic methyl methacrylate in the copolyperoxides. Exothermic degradation of these polyperoxides was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry and the degradation products have been characterized by electron impact mass spectroscopy. Finally, N,N‐dimethylacrylamide was polymerized in the presence of these polyperoxides in toluene, highlighting their potential as polymeric free radical initiator during polymerization of vinyl monomers. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018 , 56, 2030–2038     

Mn2(CO)10‐induced controlled/living radical copolymerization of vinyl acetate and methyl acrylate: Spontaneous formation of block copolymers consisting of gradient and homopolymer segments

The controlled/living radical polymerization of vinyl acetate (VAc) and its copolymerization with methyl acrylate (MA) were investigated in bulk or fluoroalcohols using manganese complex [Mn₂(CO)₁₀] in conjunction with an alkyl iodide (R? I) as an initiator under weak visible light. The manganese complex induced the controlled/living radical polymerization of VAc even in the fluoroalcohols without any loss of activity. The R? I/Mn₂(CO)₁₀ system was also effective for the copolymerization of MA and VAc, in which MA was consumed faster than VAc, and then the remaining VAc was continuously and quantitatively consumed after the complete consumption of MA. The ¹H and ¹³C NMR analyses revealed that the obtained products are block copolymers consisting of gradient MA/VAc segments, in which the VAc content gradually increases, and homopoly(VAc). The use of fluoroalcohols as solvents increased the copolymerization rate, controllability of the molecular weights, and copolymerizability of VAc. The saponification of the VAc units in poly(MA‐grad‐VAc)‐block‐poly(VAc) resulted in the corresponding poly(MA‐co‐γ‐lactone)‐block‐poly(vinyl alcohol) due to the intramolecular cyclization between the hydroxyl and neighboring carboxyl groups in the gradient segments. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 1343–1353, 2009     

Synthesis and monomer reactivity ratios of methyl methacrylate and 2‐vinyl‐4,4′‐dimethylazlactone copolymers

We report the monomer reactivity ratios for copolymers of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and a reactive monomer, 2‐vinyl‐4,4′‐dimethylazlactone (VDMA), using the Fineman–Ross, inverted Fineman–Ross, Kelen–Tudos, extended Kelen–Tudos, and Tidwell–Mortimer methods at low and high polymer conversions. Copolymers were obtained by radical polymerization initiated by 2,2′‐azobisisobutyronitrile in methyl ethyl ketone solutions and were analyzed by NMR, gas chromatography (GC), and gel permeation chromatography. ¹H NMR analysis was used to determine the molar fractions of MMA and VDMA in the copolymers at both low and high conversions. GC analysis determined the molar fractions of the monomers at conversions of less than 27% and greater than 65% for the low‐ and high‐conversion copolymers, respectively. The reactivity ratios indicated a tendency toward random copolymerization, with a higher rate of consumption of VDMA at high conversions. For both low‐ and high‐conversion copolymers, the molecular weights increased with increasing molar fractions of VDMA, and this was consistent with the faster consumption of VDMA (compared with that of MMA). © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 3027–3037, 2003     

Hydrophilic and hydrophobic copolymer systems based on acrylic derivatives of pyrrolidone and pyrrolidine

This article deals with the synthesis of hydrophilic methacrylic monomers derived from ethyl pyrrolidone [2‐ethyl‐(2‐pyrrolidone) methacrylate (EPM)] and ethyl pyrrolidine [2‐ethyl‐(2‐pyrrolidine) methacrylate (EPyM)] and their respective homopolymers. For the determination of their reactivity in radical copolymerization reactions, both monomers were copolymerized with methyl methacrylate (MMA), the reactivity ratios being calculated by the application of linear and nonlinear mathematical methods. EPM and MMA had ratios of r_EPM = 1.11 and r_MMA = 0.76, and this indicated that EPM with MMA had a higher reactivity in radical copolymerization processes than vinyl pyrrolidone (VP; r_VP = 0.005 and r_MMA = 4.7). EPyM and MMA had reactivity ratios of r_EPyM = 1.31 and r_MMA = 0.92, and this implied, as for the EPM–MMA copolymers, a tendency to form random or Bernoullian copolymers. The glass‐transition temperatures of the prepared copolymers were determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and were found to adjust to the Fox equation. Total‐conversion copolymers were prepared, and their behavior in aqueous media was found to be dependent on the copolymer composition. The swelling kinetics of the copolymers followed water transport mechanism case II, which is the most desirable kinetic behavior for a swelling controlled‐release material. Finally, the different states of water in the hydrogels—nonfreezing water, freezing bound water, and unbound freezing water—were determined by DSC and found to be dependent on the hydrophilic and hydrophobic units of the copolymers. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 395–407, 2003     

Radical copolymerization behavior of a highly fluorinated cyclic olefin with vinyl ether

The copolymerization of a highly fluorinated cyclic monomer, octafluorocyclopentene (OFCPE, M₁), with ethyl vinyl ether (EVE, M₂) was investigated with a radical initiator in bulk. Despite the poor homopolymerizability of each monomer, the copolymerization proceeded successfully, and the molecular weights of the copolymers reached up to more than 10,000. Incorporation of the OFCPE units into the copolymer led to an increase in the glass‐transition point. The copolymer composition was determined from ¹H NMR spectra and elemental analysis data. The molar fraction of the OFCPE unit in the copolymer increased and approached but did not exceed 0.5. The monomer reactivity ratios were estimated by the Yamada–Itahashi–Otsu nonlinear least‐squares procedure as r_1,OFCPE = ?0.008 ± 0.010 and r_2,EVE = 0.192 ± 0.015. The reactivity ratios clearly suggest that the copolymerization proceeds alternatively in the case of an excessive feed of OFCPE. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 1151–1156, 2002     

Terpolymerization of methyl methacrylate, poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate or poly(ethylene glycol) ethyl ether methacrylate with methacrylic acid and sodium styrene sulfonate: determination of the reactivity ratios

Materials bearing ionic monomers were obtained through free radical terpolymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA), poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PMEM) or poly(ethylene glycol) ethyl ether methacrylate (PEEM) with methacrylic acid (MA) and sodium styrene sulfonate (NaSS). The reactions were carried out in dimethyl sulfoxide using azobis(isobutyronitrile) as initiator. The reactivity ratios of the different couple of monomers were calculated according to the general copolymerization equation using the Finnemann-Ross, Kelen-Tüdos and Tidwell-Mortimer methods. The values of the reactivity ratios indicate that the different monomer units can be considered as randomly distributed along the chains for terpolymerizations of MMA, PMEM or PEEM with MA and NaSS. The average composition of the comonomers in the different terpolymers were calculated, showing a good agreement between the experimental and theoretical compositions. The instantaneous compositions are constant until about 70% of conversion. For higher conversions, the insertion of ionic monomers increases or decreases according to the system studied.     

Microstructure analysis and thermal property of copolymers made of glycolide and ϵ‐caprolactone by stannous octoate

Glycolide (GL) and ?‐caprolactone (CL) were copolymerized in bulk at relatively high temperatures using stannous octoate as a catalyst. To investigate the relationship among microstructure, thermal properties, and crystallinity, three series of copolymers prepared at various reaction temperatures, times, and comonomer feed ratios were prepared and characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR, DSC, and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD). The 600‐MHz ¹H NMR spectra provided information about not only the copolymer compositions but also about the chain microstructure. The reactivity ratios (r_G and r_C) were calculated from the monomer sequences and were 6.84 and 0.13, respectively. In terms of overall feed compositions, the sequence lengths of the glycolyl units calculated from the reactivity ratios exceeded those measured from the polymeric products. Mechanistic considerations based on reactivity ratios, monomer consumption data, and average sequence lengths are discussed. The unusual phase diagram of GL/CL copolymers implies that the copolymer melting temperature does not depend on its composition alone but rather on the nature of the sequence distribution. The DSC and WAXD measurements show a close relationship between polymer crystallinity and the nature of the polymer sequence. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 544–554, 2002; DOI 10.1002/pola.10123     

Reactivity ratios and sequence structures of the copolymers prepared using photo‐induced copolymerization of MMA with MTMP

4‐Methacryloyl‐2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl‐piperidine (MTMP) was applied as reactive hindered amine piperidine. Photo‐induced copolymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA, M₁) with MTMP (M₂) was carried out in benzene solution at ambient temperature. The reactivity ratios for these monomers were measured by running a series of reactions at various feed ratios of initial monomers, and the monomer incorporation into copolymer was determined using ¹H NMR. Reactivity ratios of the MMA/MTMP system were measured to be r₁ = 0.37 and r₂ = 1.14 from extended Kelen‐Tüdos method. The results show that monomer MTMP prefers homopolymerization to copolymerization in the system, whereas monomer MMA prefers copolymerization to homopolymerization. Sequence structures of the MMA/MTMP copolymers were characterized using ¹H NMR. The results show that the sequence structure for the main chain of the MMA/MTMP copolymers is mainly composed of a syndiotactic configuration, only with a little heterotactic configuration. Three kinds of the sequences of rr, rr′, and lr′ in the syndiotactic configuration are found. The sequence‐length distribution in the MMA/MTMP copolymers is also obtained. For f₁ = 0.2, the monomer unit of MMA is mostly separated by MTMP units, and for f₁ = 0.6, the alternating tendency prevails and a large number of mono‐sequences are formed; further up to f₁ = 0.8, the monomer unit of MTMP with the sequence of one unit is interspersed among the chain of MMA. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Grafting onto Wool. XV. Graft Copolymerization of MA and MM A by Use of Mn(acac)3 as Initiator

Graft copolymerization of acceptor monomers MA and MMA onto Himachali wool fiber in an aqueous medium was studied by using Mn(acac)s as initiator. Nitric acid was found to catalyze the graft copolymerization. Percentage of grafting and percent efficiency have been determined as functions of the concentration of chelate, nitric acid, monomer, time, and temperature, Under optimum conditions, MMA produced a maximum grafting of 82.5% while MA afforded maximum grafting to the extent of 27.5%. Relative reactivities of MA and MMA toward grafting have been compared with those of EA, BA, and VAc reported earlier from this laboratory. Different vinyl monomers were found to follow the following reactivity order toward grafting onto wool fiber in the presence of Mn(acac)₃: MMA > EA > BA > MA > VAc. An attempt has been made to explain the observed reactivity pattern shown by different vinyl monomers in graft copolymerization reactions.     

Effects of solvent as an electron-pair acceptor on propagation reactions during radical polymerization and copolymerization of polar vinyl monomers

We carried out radical homopolymerization and copolymerization in various kinds of solvents at 60°C by using diisopropyl fumarate (DiPF) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) as electron-accepting polar monomers and styrene (St) and vinyl benzoate (VB) as electron-donating monomers. The highest polymerization rate was observed in the polar and electron-pair accepting solvents, such as 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol for the homopolymerization and copolymerization of these monomers. It has been revealed that the polymerization rate is correlated to the electron-pair–accepting property of the solvent used, rather than the polarity in the linear free energy relationship. We have demonstrated the validity of the acceptor number as the index for interpreting the interaction of the solvent with the monomer and the propagating chain end. The monomer reactivity ratios were determined for the St–DiPF, VB–DiPF, and St–MMA copolymerizations. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 2803–2814, 1999     

Initiator selectivity during free radical copolymerizations of styrene and methyl methacrylate initiated by anaerobic copper(II) oxidation of carbon‐13 labeled acetophenone

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis of the ¹³C‐labeled chain ends of polystyrene, polyMMA, and styrene‐MMA copolymers prepared by polymerizations initiated using ¹³C‐labeled‐phenacyl radicals were investigated. The phenacyl radicals were generated by anaerobic oxidation of acetophenone‐methyl‐¹³C using a Cu(II) octanoate‐pyridine complex in the presence of triethylamine and triphenylphosphine. NMR analysis of the ¹³C‐labeled chain ends of these polymers afforded insight into the initiation mechanism. In copolymerization experiments using ¹³C‐labeled acetophenone initiator, the NMR spectra provided evidence that the phenacyl radical reacts 2.7 times faster with styrene than with MMA. The resonances of the labeled phenacyl carbons also showed that the sequence and stereosequence distributions of monomer units at the chain ends are nearly the same as those that prevail along the polymer chains. Styrene–styrene, styrene–MMA, and MMA–styrene enchainments at the chain ends are equally likely to have meso (erythro) or racemic(threo) configurations but the ratio of meso to racemic MMA‐MMA enchainments is ～ 3/7. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 2347–2356, 2008     

One‐ and two‐dimensional NMR characterization of N‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone/methyl acrylate copolymers

N‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone/methyl acrylate (V/M) copolymers were prepared by free‐radical bulk polymerization using benzoyl peroxide as an initiator. The copolymer composition of these copolymers was calculated from ¹H NMR spectra. The radical reactivity ratios for N‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (V) and methyl acrylate (M) were r_V = 0.09, r_M = 0.44. These reactivity ratios for the copolymerization of V and M were determined using the Kelen–Tudos and nonlinear least‐squares error‐in‐variable methods. The ¹³C{¹H} and ¹H NMR spectra of these copolymers overlapped and were complex. The complete spectral assignment of the ¹³C and ¹H NMR spectra were done with distortionless enhancement by polarization transfer and two dimensional ¹³C‐¹H heteronuclear single quantum correlation spectroscopic experiments. The two‐dimensional ¹H‐¹H homonuclear total correlation spectroscopic NMR spectrum showed the various bond interactions, thus inferring the possible structure of the copolymers. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 2225–2236, 2002     

One‐ and two‐dimensional NMR characterization of N‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone/methyl acrylate copolymers

N‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone/methyl acrylate (V/M) copolymers were prepared by free‐radical bulk polymerization using benzoyl peroxide as an initiator. The copolymer composition of these copolymers was calculated from ¹H NMR spectra. The radical reactivity ratios for N‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (V) and methyl acrylate (M) were r_V = 0.09, r_M = 0.44. These reactivity ratios for the copolymerization of V and M were determined using the Kelen–Tudos and nonlinear least‐squares error‐in‐variable methods. The ¹³C{¹H} and ¹H NMR spectra of these copolymers overlapped and were complex. The complete spectral assignment of the ¹³C and ¹H NMR spectra were done with distortionless enhancement by polarization transfer and two dimensional ¹³C‐¹H heteronuclear single quantum correlation spectroscopic experiments. The two‐dimensional ¹H‐¹H homonuclear total correlation spectroscopic NMR spectrum showed the various bond interactions, thus inferring the possible structure of the copolymers. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 2225–2236, 2002     

RAFT polymerization of alternating styrene‐pentafluorostyrene copolymers

Reversible addition‐fragmentation chain‐transfer (RAFT) polymerization was used to control the alternating copolymerization of styrene and 2,3,4,5,6‐pentaflurostyrene. The RAFT polymerization yields a high degree of control over the molecular weight of the polymers and does not significantly influence the reactivity ratios of the monomers. The controlled free‐radical polymerization could be initiated using AIBN at elevated temperatures or using a redox couple (benzoyl peroxide/N,N‐dimethylaniline) at room temperature, while maintaining control over molecular weight and dispersity. The influence of temperature and solvent on the molecular weight distribution and reactivity ratios were investigated. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 1555–1559     

Synthesis and enzymatic degradation of 2‐methylene‐1,3‐dioxepane and methyl acrylate copolymers

Copolymers of 2‐methylene‐1,3‐dioxepane (MDO) and methyl acrylate (MA) containing ester units both in the backbone and as pendant groups were synthesized by free‐radical copolymerization. The influence of reaction conditions such as the polymerization time, temperature, initiator concentration, and comonomer feed ratio on the yield, molecular weight, and copolymer composition was investigated. The structure of the copolymers was confirmed by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, and IR spectroscopy. Differential scanning calorimetry indicated that the copolymers had a random structure. An NMR study showed that hydrogen transfer occurred during the copolymerization. The reactivity ratios of the comonomers were r_MDO = 0.0235 and r_MA = 26.535. The enzymatic degradation of the copolymers obtained was carried out in the presence of proteinase K or a crude enzyme extracted from earthworms. The experimental results showed that the higher ester molar percentage in the backbone caused a faster degradation rate. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 2898–2904, 2003