Peels of buckyballs

The polymer analogous aromatization of double-stranded Diels-Alder polymers to give fully unsaturated, all-carbon ladder polymers by means of dehydration and dehydrogenation is described. The polymers obtained were characterized by solid state ¹³C NMR spectroscopy.     

Novel thermotropic liquid crystalline‐cum‐photocrosslinkable polyvanillylidene alkyl/arylphosphate esters

A new class of linear unsaturated polyphosphate esters based on divanillylidene cyclohexanone possessing liquid crystalline‐cum‐photocrosslinkable properties have been synthesized from 2,6‐bis[n‐hydroxyalkyloxy(vanillylidene)]cyclohexanone [n = 6,8,10] with various alkyl/aryl phosphorodichloridates in chloroform at ambient temperature. The resultant polymers were characterized by intrinsic viscosity, FT‐IR, ¹H, ¹³C, and ³¹P‐NMR spectroscopy. All the polymers showed anisotropic behavior under hot stage optical polarized microscope (HOPM). The liquid crystalline textures of the polymers became more transparent with increasing spacer length. The thermal behavior of the polymers was studied by thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. The T_g, T_m, and T_i of the polymers decreased with increasing flexible methylene chain. The photocrosslinking property of the polymer was investigated by UV light/UV spectroscopy; the crosslinking proceeds via 2π‐2π cycloaddition reactions of the divanillylidene exocyclic double bond of the polymer backbone. The pendant alkyloxy containing polymers show faster crosslinking than the pendant phenyloxy containing polymers. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 5215–5226, 2004     

Highly near‐infrared photoluminescence from aza‐borondipyrromethene‐based conjugated polymers

Near‐infrared (NIR) emissive conjugated polymers were prepared by palladium‐catalyzed Sonogashira polymerization of diiodobenzene‐functionalized aza‐borondipyrromethene (Aza‐BODIPY) monomers, which were substituted at 3 and 5 or 1 and 7 positions on the Aza‐BODIPY core, with 1,4‐diethynyl‐2,5‐dihexadecyloxybenzene or 3,3′‐didodecyl‐2,2′‐diethynyl‐5,5′‐bithiophene. The structures of the polymers were confirmed by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, ¹¹B NMR, Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopies, and size exclusion chromatography (SEC). The optical properties were then characterized by UV–vis absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopies, and theoretical calculation using density‐functional theory (DFT) method. The polymers were fusible and soluble in common organic solvents including tetrahydrofuran (THF), o‐xylene, toluene, CHCl₃, and CH₂Cl₂, etc. The UV–vis absorption and PL spectra of the polymers shifted to long wavelength region in comparison with simple Aza‐BODIPY as the counterpart because of extended π‐conjugation of the polymers. The polymers efficiently emitted NIR light with narrow emission bands at 713～777 nm on excitation at each absorption maximum. Especially, the polymer attached 1,4‐diethynyl‐2,5‐dihexadecyloxybenzene to 3,5‐position on the core revealed intense quantum yields (?_F = 24%) in this NIR region (753 nm). © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010     

Formation,characterization and catalytic activity of PD-polyheteroarylenes complexes

High molecular weight polybenzimidazoles, poly[(N-phenyl)benzimidazoles], polynaphthoylenebenzimidazoles and poly(naphthoylene-s-triazoles) were obtained using well-known polycyclodehydration processes as well as new reactions for their preparation -reductive polyheterocyclization and “activated” poly-cyclocondensation. Treatment of polymers obtained with PdCl₂ led to the formation of Pd-containing polyheteroarylenes complexes. Pd^II bound to the polymers was reduced to Pd° by treatment with hydrogen or NaBH₄. Pd-polyheteroarylenes complexes obtained may be used as catalysts for the hydrogenation of alkenes and alkynes, for the selective hydrogenation of the triple bonds of unsaturated hydrocarbons in the presence of double bonds etc. Of especially great interest is the utilization of Pd-polybenzimidazole as catalyst for carbonylation of nitrobenzene and different halogen-substitited nitrobenzenes in the presence of alcohols leading to the formation of carbamates.     

Linear polymers of vinyl aryl monomers containing another unsaturated group

The synthesis and the anionic polymerization of representative substituted styrenes, CH₂?CH? C₆H₄R′, where R′ is an ethylenic or acetylenic group attached directly or indirectly to the benzene ring, to linear polymers is described. In contrast, crosslinked polymers were obtained when radical and cationic initiators were used. The unpolymerized, unsaturated bonds in R′ in the resulting linear polymers were shown to be present by infrared spectroscopic methods and by the following post-reactions of these bonds: (1) the thermal- and radical-initiated crosslinking of the linear polymers through the unsaturated bonds in R′; (2) the post-bromination of these unsaturated bonds; (3) the post-copolymerization of these unsaturated bonds with vinyl monomers; and (4) the reaction of decaborane with the acetylenic bonds. The anionic copolymerizations of methyl methacrylate, acrylonitrile, and styrene with these monomers were performed and confirmed their behavior as substituted styrenes. Block copolymerizations with styrene and methyl methacrylate were also performed and the expected results obtained. Post-bromination of the linear polymers afforded self-extinguishing polymers. The linear polymers and copolymers may be classified as “self-reactive” polymers which yield thermosetting polystyrenes.     

Thermal,viscoelastic, and mechanical properties of DCPD-containing polymers

The thermal, viscoelastic, and mechanical properties of cured dicyclopentadiene (DCPD)-containing polymers prepared from novel DCPD-modified unsaturated epoxypolyesters and styrene were evaluated. This was accomplished using thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, three-point bending test, and Brinell’s hardness. The thermal, viscoelastic, and mechanical properties of DCPD-containing polymers were strongly dependent on chemical structure. The cross-linking density (υ _e) of obtained networks increased with increasing content of carbon–carbon double bonds in the poly(ester) structure. In addition, the introduction of DCPD rings into the poly(ester) structure increased the rigidity of the molecular backbone. It resulted in obtaining polymers which showed great improvement in mechanical properties including remarkably higher storage modulus ( E_{20 ^°\textC}^￠ E_{{20\,{}^{\circ}{\text{C}}}}^{'} ), flexural modulus at bending (E _mod), hardness, lower extension at maximum force (ε-F _max), as well as higher thermal stability. These good properties make these materials highly promising as potential candidates for structural applications.     

Transient species of importance in the stoichiometric hydroformylation reaction I. Evidence for HCo(CO)3 by matrix isolation

Spectra of HCo(CO)₄ in a low temperature argon matrix show a weak band at 2018 cm^?1. On irradiation, this band grows rapidly and additional bands (previously too weak to be readily observable) appear at 2025 and 485 cm^?1. These three bands are assigned to HCo(CO)₃, a coordinatively unsaturated species persistently proposed as an intermediate in the hydroformylation reaction but not previously characterized.     

Synthesis of ethylene/vinyl ester copolymers with pendent linear branches via ring‐opening metathesis polymerization of fatty acid‐derived cyclooctenes

Fatty acid‐derived cyclooctenes, including n‐hexanoic acid ( M1 ), n‐octanoic acid ( M2 ), lauric acid ( M3 ), and palmitic acid ( M4 ), were prepared as monomers and polymerized by ring‐opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) using Grubbs second‐generation catalyst ( G2 ). In all the cases, the regio‐irregular unsaturated polymers with pendent linear branches were obtained, which could be saturated by chemical hydrogenation with TSH/TPA in high conversion, yielding ethylene/vinyl ester copolymers with pendent linear branches on precisely every eighth backbone carbon. Both unsaturated and saturated polymers were amorphous, and their structures were characterized by FTIR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra, and elemental analysis. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermo‐gravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to study their thermal properties. The chain length of branches greatly affected the thermal properties of polymers. After hydrogenation, the thermal degradation stability of polymers was relatively improved. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55, 2211–2220     

Two zinc (II) coordination polymers based on aliphatic ether Schiff base: Synthesis,crystal structure,antioxidation and fluorescence

The synthesis of two 1D coordination polymers [Zn₂L¹₂]_n 1 and [Zn₂L²₂]_n 2 , based on the H₂L¹ (bis (salicylidene)‐3‐oxapentane‐1,5‐diamine) and the H₂L² (bis (5‐methylsalicylaldehyde)‐3‐oxapentane‐1,5‐diamine) ligands, have been described and characterized by IR, elemental analysis and X‐ray single crystal analyses. In coordination polymer 1 , each Zn²⁺ ion is five‐coordinated by three oxygen atoms and two nitrogen atoms from deprotonated ligand forming a square pyramidal configuration. It is worth noting that phenolic oxygens of the deprotonated H₂L¹ adapt monodentate and monoatomic bridging coordinated modes resulting in one‐dimensional linear chain structure in which macro rings alternately connect small rings. The coordination polymer 2 is a four‐coordinated one‐dimensional zigzag chain in which geometric structure around the Zn (II) atom can be described as distorted tetrahedron. The antioxidant activity of the coordination polymers 1 – 2 and the ligands were determined by superoxide and hydroxyl radical scavenging method in vitro. The results demonstrated that the coordination polymers exhibit more effective antioxidant activity than the ligands. Moreover, compared with emissive bands of the free ligands in the solid state and DMF solvent, the photoluminescent transition of the Zn (II) coordination polymer 1 – 2 may be attributed to ligand‐to‐ligand charge‐transfer regulated by Zn (II) ion.     

A series of M-M′ heterometallic coordination polymers: syntheses, structures and surface photoelectric properties (M=Ni/Co, M′=Cd/Zn)

Four new heterometallic polymers, [NiCd(mal)₂(H₂O)₂]n·2nH₂O 1, [NiZn₂(Hcit)₂(H₂O)₂]n 2, [CoCd₂(Hcit)₂(H₂O)₂]n 3, [CoZn₂(Hcit)₂(H₂O)₂]n 4 (H₂mal=malonic acid, H₄cit=citric acid) were synthesized and characterized. The photoelectric properties of the polymers were discussed by the surface photovoltage spectroscopy (SPS). The structural analyses indicate 1 is a Ni-Cd heterometallic polymer with 3D structure bridged by the mal^2- group. 2-4 are all heterometallic polymers with 2D structures bridged by the Hcit^3- group. The results of SPS for the four polymers reveal that there are wide photovoltage response bands in the range of 300-800 nm, which indicates that they all possess photoelectric conversion properties. By the introduction of the other metals, the SPS of heterometallic polymers are broadened obviously than the SPS of monometallic complexes. Moreover, the relationships between SPS and UV-Vis absorption spectra have been discussed.     

Copolymerization of anhydroglucose and anhydromannose derivatives: Structure,reactivity, and conformational analyses

Phosphorus pentafluoride-catalyzed copolymerization of 1,6-anhydro-2,3,4-tri-O-(p-methylbenzyl)-β-D -glucopyranose (TXGL, monomer G) and 1,6-anhydro-2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl-β-D -mannopyranose (TBMN, monomer M) appears to follow classical copolymerization theory. Reactivity ratios calculated by the procedure of Mayo and Lewis were r_G = 0.90 ± 0.08, r_M = 11.5 ± 0.80, from which sequence distributions were calculated. A conformational analysis of anhydro sugar polymerization is presented to explain differences in reactivity of monomers and their derived cations in polymerization and copolymerization. The polymers and copolymers were characterized by viscosity, ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy, optical rotation, and circular dichroism. The reaction gives stereoregular polymers as have other polymerizations and copolymerizations of this class.     

Terpolymerization of propylene oxide,carbon dioxide,and trimethylene carbonate

High-molecular-weight polymers with different contents of propylene carbonate (PC), and trimethylene carbonate (TMC) units in the polymer chain were synthesized by the coordination anionic copolymerization of carbon dioxide, propylene oxide (PO), and TMC in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂). Zinc adipate (ZnAd) was used as a catalyst. The terpolymerization products were characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR, IR spectroscopy, GPC, and DSC. The effect of the reaction conditions on the yield, composition, structure, and molecular weight and thermal characteristics of the terpolymers was studied. The phase behavior of the synthesized polymers and mixtures of polypropylene carbonate with polytrimethylene carbonate was examined.

     

Synthesis and Characterization of Amphiphilic PEG Based Aliphatic and Aromatic Polymers and their Self-Assembling Behavior

Twelve amphiphilic polymers were synthesized using poly(ethylene glycols) (PEGs) of different molecular weights, viz. 1000, 2000 and 4000 as hydrophilic block and linkers namely azelaic acid, sebacic acid, dimethyl isophthalate acid and dimethyl terephthalate as hydrophobic block in the presence of catalyst Conc. H₂SO₄. Synthesized polymers were characterized by using ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR and IR spectroscopy. Micellar sizes of the polymers were determined using Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) which ranged from 51.6–174 nm for aliphatic polymers and 135.5–371 nm for aromatic polymers. Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) results confirm the findings of DLS. Critical Micelle Concentrations (CMC) of the synthesized polymers were determined using electrical conductivity meter which ranged from 95 to 130 mg L^?1 for aliphatic polymers and 420–1500 mg L^?1 for aromatic polymers.     

Synthesis,optical, and electrochemical properties of novel copolymers on the basis of benzothiadiazole and electron‐rich arene units

Novel alternating conjugated copolymers ( P1–P6 ) consisting of an electron‐deficient benzothiadiazole and a variety of electron‐rich thiophene‐arene‐thiophene units were synthesized by palladium‐catalyzed polycondensations (Stille and Suzuki reactions), aiming at processable materials with a reduced optical band gap. The structures of P1–P6 were confirmed by ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR, and their molecular weights were determined by size exclusion chromatography. In the Suzuki polycondensation, the role of the catalyst [Pd(PPh₃)₄ and Pd(OAc)₂] on the resulting molecular weight was investigated. Pd(OAc)₂ enhances the molecular weight of the polymers for both thiophene and phenylene bis‐boronic esters as compared with Pd(PPh₃)₄. The optical properties of the polymers were examined in solution and the solid state. The polymers with n‐octyl substituents ( P1 , P4 , P5 , and P6 ) on the thiophene rings possessed less‐planar structures as a result of torsional steric hindrance, and their absorption spectra appeared blueshifted as compared with their unsubstituted analogues ( P2 and P3 ). The electrochemical properties of the polymers were studied using cyclic voltammetry. Although the alkyl substitution affects the oxidation potential, only marginal differences in the reduction potentials were observed. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 2360–2372, 2002     

Characterization of plasma polymers from tetramethylsilane,octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane, and methyltrimethoxysilane

The products in inductively coupled plasma excited in organosilicic compounds were studied on chemical structures by spectroscopic methods. Plasma-polymerized tetramethylsilane (PA) contains not only Si? CH₃ groups but also Si? H groups on IR and ²⁹Si-NMR analyses. ¹³C-NMR spectrum of PA reveals that the crosslinked structure of PA is mainly constructed of Ch₂ and CH groups. Plasma-polymerized octamethyleyclotetrasiloxane (PD₄) is composed of Si? CH₃ and Si? O groups. ¹³C- and ²⁹Si-NMR spectra of PD₄ point out the highly preservation of the structural units similar to the monomer. These data of PD₄ suggest that PD₄ is formed from the ring-opening polymerization by cleavages of Si? O bonds. ¹³C-NMR spectrum of poly[methyltrimethoxysilane] (PT) indicates the existence of CH₃? O groups, meanwhile its ²⁹Si-NMR analysis concludes that PT is chiefly composed of the structural units similar to the monomer. The surface analyses by XPS of PA, PD₄ and PT suggest that these organosilicic plasma polymers resemble their starting materials.     

Synthesis, structures and membrane properties of siloxane-imide co-polymers produced by aqueous polymerization

We report for the first time, the synthesis of siloxane-imide co-polymers by the reaction of mixtures of 1,4-bis(aminobutyl)tetramethyldisiloxane (ABTMDS) and 1,3-bis(4-aminophenoxy)benzene (TPE-R) with bisphenol A diphthalic anhydride (BPADA) using water as the polymerization solvent. A series of co-polymers were prepared incorporating 10, 20, 40 and 100 mol% of ABTMDS with the aromatic diamine TPE-R as the co-monomer. The synthesized co-polymers showed number average molecular weights in the range of 25,000–60,000. As expected the glass transition temperatures (T_gs) and moduli of the polymers were found to decrease with increasing amounts of the siloxane monomer and the homo-polymer containing only the siloxane diamine showing the lowest T_g (60 °C). The resulting polymers could be solution cast into strong and flexible membranes which showed significant decreases in water absorption and moisture permeability compared to the control polymer without siloxane groups. The polymers were characterized by FTIR, ¹³C and ¹H NMR, GPC, DSC and mechanical properties and structural comparisons were made with similar polymers made by standard solvent synthesis methods. Also cross-linked polymers were prepared by the reaction of ABTMDS with the aromatic homo-polymer control and their membrane properties were compared to those of the water synthesized siloxane co-polymers with a similar siloxane content.     

Heterogeneous reactions of singlet molecular oxygen with solid polymers

The effect of gas-phase singlet molecular oxygen (¹ΔO₂) upon several solid polymers was investigated by using electron paramagnetic resonance, infrared spectroscopy, and chemical detection techniques. The study was performed by use of ¹ΔO₂ produced by microwave discharge. The application of this method to polymer studies was closely examined. The saturated-chain polymers polystyrene, polyurethane, and polyethylene were found to be inert within the experimental conditions to reaction with ¹ΔO₂, while the unsaturated polymers cis-polybutadiene, trans-polybutadiene, and trans-polyisoprene were found to react quite readily in an apparently surface or near-surface limited reaction to produce hydroperoxide and/or peroxide groups. The introduction by homogeneous mixing of some known metal-chelate ¹ΔO₂ quenchers into the polymer trans-polyisoprene appeared to significantly decrease the rate of oxidation observed.     

Infrared Spectra of Protonated Coronene and Its Neutral Counterpart in Solid Parahydrogen: Implications for Unidentified Interstellar Infrared Emission Bands

Large protonated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (H⁺PAHs) are possible carriers of unidentified infrared (UIR) emission bands from interstellar objects, but the characterization of infrared (IR) spectra of large H⁺PAHs in the laboratory is challenging. IR absorption spectra of protonated coronene (1‐C₂₄H₁₃⁺) and mono‐hydrogenated coronene (1‐C₂₄H₁₃^.), which were produced upon electron bombardment of parahydrogen containing a small proportion of coronene (C₂₄H₁₂) during matrix deposition, were recorded. The spectra are of a much higher resolution than those obtained by IR multiphoton dissociation by Dopfer and co‐workers. The IR spectra of protonated pyrene and coronene collectively appear to have the required chromophores for features of the UIR bands, and the spectral shifts on an increase in the number of benzenoid rings point in the correct direction towards the positions of the UIR bands. Larger protonated peri‐condensed PAHs might thus be key species among the carriers of UIR bands.     

Mobility Studies on Siloxane‐Based Inorganic‐Organic Hybrid Polymers by Dynamic Solid State,Suspended State,and Deuterium NMR Spectroscopy: Supported Organometallic Complexes. XXVI [1]

Organic modified siloxanes of the type RSi(OMe₂)₂(CH₂)₃C₆D₄(CH₂)₃(OMe₂)₂SiR [R = Me ( 4 ), R = OMe ( 5 )] were sol‐gel processed employing solvents of different polarity (MeOH and THF) to yield the corresponding inorganic‐organic hybrid polymers X4a — X5b with different physical properties. These polymers were investigated by multinuclear (²H, ¹³C, and ²⁹Si) solid state and ¹H suspension state NMR spectroscopy, including dynamic NMR techniques, in order to correlate the mobilities of these xerogels with physical properties, especially with the cross‐linkage.     

In situ preparation of hetero-polymers/clay nanocomposites by CUAAC click chemistry

A series of polymer/clay nanocomposites containing mechanistically two different polymers, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and poly(epsilon caprolactone) (PCL), were prepared by simultaneous copper(I)-catalyzed alkyne-azide cycloaddition click reactions. Both clickable polymers, PEG-Alkyne and PCL-Alkyne, were simultaneously clicked on to azide-functional montmorillonite (MMT-N₃) nanoclay to get corresponding PEG-PCL/MMT nanocomposites. The chemical structures of the resulting nanocomposites were verified by following azide and silicone-oxygen bands using FT-IR and characteristic bands of PEG and PCL segments using ¹H-NMR spectroscopy. The combined XRD and TEM analysis confirmed that all PEG-PCL/MMT nanocomposites had partially exfoliated/intercalated morphologies. In addition, the increase of MMT-N₃ loading not only improved the onset and maximum degradation temperatures of the nanocomposites but also their char yields. Furthermore, the incorporation of MMT-N₃ in the polymer matrix did not significantly influence the crystallization behavior of both PEG and PCL segments.