Synthesis and characterization of poly(ester-sulfone)s

Aliphatic and aromatic-aliphatic poly(ester-sulfone)s were synthesized by the transesterifications of diphenyl adipate and diphenyl phthalates (ortho, meta, para) with two sulfonecontaining diols, 1,3-bis (3-hydroxypropylsulfonyl) propane (Diol-333) and 1,4-bis(3-hydroxypropylsulfonyl) butane (Diol-343). Based on DSC and WAXD studies, the aliphatic homopoly(ester-sulfone)s are semicrystalline at room temperature and liquid crystalline at elevated temperature, while their copolymers with alkanediols are liquid crystalline. The liquid crystalline phase formation in aliphatic poly(ester-sulfone)s is attributed to the strong dipole-dipole interactions between sulfone groups. The aromatic-aliphatic poly(estersulfone)s from diphenyl phthalate (ortho) and isophthalate (meta) are amorphous. They are soluble in trifluoroacetic acid and m-cresol at room temperature, and DMF, DMAC, and DMSO at elevated temperature. The aromatic-aliphatic poly(ester-sulfone)s from diphenyl terephthalate are semicrystalline and are soluble only in trifluoroacetic acid. For a given diol, the glass transition temperatures of aromatic-aliphatic poly(ester-sulfone)s increase from phthalate to isophthalate to terephthalate. This is because the flexibility of the benzene ring in the polymer backbone decreases from ortho to meta to para substitution. As a comparison, polyesters without sulfone groups were synthesized from two alkanediols, 1,9-nonanediol and 1,10-decanediol, and the diphenyl esters. The poly(ester-sulfone)s have glass transition temperatures 60–80°C higher than the corresponding polyesters without sulfone groups, due to the strong dipolar interactions between sulfone groups. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

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     

Simultaneous Chain‐Growth and Step‐Growth Polymerization of Methoxystyrenes by Rare‐Earth Catalysts

The simultaneous chain‐growth and step‐growth polymerization of a monomer is of great interest and importance because it can produce unique macromolecules which are difficult to prepare by other means. However, such a transformation is usually difficult to achieve in one polymerization system because chain‐growth polymerization and step‐growth polymerization proceed by different reaction mechanisms. Reported here is the simultaneous chain‐growth and step‐growth polymerization of para‐ and meta‐methoxystyrenes catalyzed by half‐sandwich rare‐earth alkyl complexes, and the step‐growth polymerization proceeds by the C?H polyaddition of anisyl units to vinyl groups. This unprecedented transformation affords a new family of macromolecules containing unique alternating anisole‐ethylene sequences. In contrast to para‐ and meta‐methoxystyrenes, ortho‐methoxystyrene exclusively undergo syndiospecific, living chain‐growth polymerization by continuous C=C bond insertion to give perfect syndiotactic poly(ortho‐methoxystyrene) with high molecular weight and narrow polydispersity (rrrr >99 %, M_n up to 280 kg mol^?1, M_w/M_n <1.10).     

Phototransposition reactions of arylboronate esters in acetonitrile and 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol

The phototransposition (para, meta, ortho) reactions of the arylboronate esters 4-, 3-, and 2-(4',4',5',5'-tetramethyl-1',3',2'-dioxaborolanyl)toluenes (1, 2, and 3, respectively) in both acetonitrile and 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE) using 254 nm irradiation have been examined. The irradiations resulted in steady-state compositions of para (5%), meta (19%), and ortho (76%) isomers in acetonitrile starting from the ortho isomer and para (12%), meta (54%), and ortho (35%) isomers in TFE starting from the para isomer. Analysis of the (13)C NMR spectrum of the product mixture obtained from the photochemistry of the para isomer selectively deuterated at C3 and C5 (1d(2)()) revealed that the boron-substituted carbon is the active one in the phototransposition reactions in both acetonitrile and TFE. Similar results were observed for irradiations of 1 in cyclohexane. Fluorescence spectra, singlet-state lifetimes, and Stern-Volmer quenching of fluorescence with 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene indicated that the excited singlet states of these three isomers were spectroscopic minima and that the excited singlet state was the reactive one for 3 in acetonitrile.     

Polymerization of diethylene glycol bis(allyl carbonate) by means of di-sec-butyl peroxydicarbonate

The initial stages of the free radical polymerization of diethylene glycol bis(allyl carbonate) at temperatures of 35–65°C have been studied. The polymer is unsaturated and cyclization to give a 16-membered ring occurs only to a small extent. The kinetic order with respect to the initiator, di-sec-butyl peroxydicarbonate, has an average value of 0.79; the order increases slightly with peroxydicarbonate concentration over the range 0.018–0.22M. The molecular weight of the polymer isolated after 3% polymerization is close to 19,000. It shows no significant dependence on initiator concentration or on temperature. The dominant feature of the bulk polymerization, as in free radical polymerization of the other allyl and diallyl monomers, is degradative chain transfer in which the growing polymer radical abstracts a hydrogen atom from a monomer unit to give a relatively unreactive allylic radical. The dependence of rate on initiator concentration is rationalized if some of these allylic radicals are able to reinitiate polymerization. The transfer constant to monomer is 0.014 at 50°C, assuming that the main termination step involves mutual termination of allylic radicals. Carbon tetrachloride is an active transfer agent with a transfer constant of 0.20 ± 0.04 at 50°C. Toluene, which is less active, has a transfer constant of 0.0064 at 50°C and also retards the polymerization. Some kinetic studies have been made with other initiators, including di-2-methyl-pentanoyl peroxide which initiates polymerization at temperatures as low as 13°C.     

Acid generation in the thermal decomposition of diaryliodonium salts

Diphenyliodonium tetrafluoroborate and diphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate have been found to generate up to two equivalents of hydrogen fluoride per equivalent of the iodonium salt by pyrolysis at 239°C in the neat state and at 150°C in the presence of anisole or nitrobenzene. The formation of hydrogen fluoride is presumed to arise by dissociation of hydrogen tetrafluoroborate or hydrogen hexafluorophosphate initially formed, due to the high temperatures, thus giving rise also to the Lewis acids boron trifluoride and phosphorus pentafluoride, respectively. A detailed analysis of the volatile organic products of the decomposition of the diphenyliodonium salts was also carried out. Many products were identified in all of the cases studied. For example, the neat decomposition of diphenyliodonium tetrafluoroborate afforded benzene, fluorobenzene, iodobenzene, the three isomeric iodobiphenyls, biphenyl, three isomeric terphenyls, and one or more of the diiodobiphenyls, iodoterphenyls, and polyaromatics. Among the iodobiphenyls, the ortho and para isomers were found to predominate over the meta isomer. The terphenyl isomers did not exhibit this ortho, para selectivity. It was significant that decomposition of the diaryliodonium salts in anisole suspension did not afford methoxybiphenyls or iodomethoxybiphenyls. An interpretation of these results is presented. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

NMR and FTIR investigation of the solution imidization kinetics of model compounds of PMDA/ODA polyamic ethyl ester

Meta- and para-diethyl-p,p-oxydiphenylene pyromellitamide (DOP), the model compounds of the meta and para PMDA/ODA polyamic ethyl ester, were synthesized and characterized by NMR and FTIR spectroscopy. Investigation of the imidization in d₆-DMSO solution using NMR and FTIR techniques has shown that both the half imide and imide were formed. Quantitative analysis of the curing rates and degrees of conversion of the isomers in dilute d₆-DMSO solution as a function of time under isothermal conditions or as function of temperature at fixed time (1 h) indicated that the kinetics of the ring closure reaction of the meta and para isomers were the same within 10%. This suggests that intrinsic reactivity differences between the isomers do not have much effect on the imidization process and do not account for the differences in rate that have been observed for the meta and para polymers in the solid state. No interconversion between the two isomeric forms occurred below 180°C, as has been observed for polyamic acids and their model compounds. The degree of conversion strongly depended on the reaction temperature and increased quickly after 170°C. The rate constant of the second ring closure reaction was found to be approximately three to four times the rate constant of the first ring closure reaction. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Adamantyl-substituted phenolic polymers

4-(1-Adamantyl)phenol was synthesized via Friedel-Crafts reaction of 1-bromoadamantane and phenol. Substitution in the phenol para position forces polymerization to occur only in the ortho positions to give a linear polymer. Variations in formaldehyde amount, reaction time, and catalyst were evaluated. Increasing the amount of paraformaldehyde increased formation of cyclic octamer, an easily identified by-product due to its insolubility in common organic solvents. The cyclic octamer was acetylated to give a soluble model compound for comparison to acetylated polymers by IR and NMR. All of the synthetic variations employed produced low molecular weight polymers as indicated by NMR end-group analysis and SEC. The polymers showed number-average molecular weights of ca. 3000 (versus polystyrene standards by SEC), and exhibited glass transition temperatures ranging from 175–230°C, an increase of ca. 100°C over unsubstituted and para-alkyl substituted analogs. All of the samples exhibited a 10% weight loss at 400°C in nitrogen, indicating thermal stability much greater than the parent and alkyl-substituted polymers. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Structural characteristics of phenol formaldehyde novolak resin depending on polycondensation type using molecular simulation

Phenol formaldehyde novolak resins have various structures depending on the polycondensation types. Their structures were characterized using molecular mechanics and molecular dynamics. Dimer, tetramer, hexamer, octamer, and decamer of the resins with the ortho–ortho, ortho–para, and para–para sequences were calculated. The ortho–ortho resins have the structural characteristics of intramolecular hydrogen bonds between hydroxyl groups of the adjacent phenolic units. For the ortho–para and para–para resins, the intramolecular hydrogen bonds are formed mainly between hydroxyl groups of the backbone phenolic units. The para–para resins also have intramolecular hydrogen bonds between hydroxyl groups of the branched phenolic units. A factor determining the structural characteristics of the resins was found to be the geometry of the basic unit (dimer). The order of the end‐to‐end distances between hydrogen atoms on the para‐position of the basic units of the resins is ortho–ortho resin < ortho–para resin < para–para resin. The calculational results were found to be consistent with the gel permeation chromatography (GPC) analysis. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Lack of linear free energy relationship: Tungsten(VI) catalyzed perborate oxidation of anilines

The rates of tungsten(VI) catalyzed perborate oxidation of 29 para‐, meta‐ and ortho‐substituted anilines in aqueous acetic acid at 35–55°C conform to the Exner relationship, also the activation parameters to the isokinetic relationship but not to any of the linear free energy relationships. The results are rationalized. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 31: 571–575, 1999     

Synthesis and polymerization of allyloxyacetaldehyde

Allyloxyacetaldehyde (AOA) was synthesized by the Williamson reaction between sodium allyl alcoholate and bromoacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal. Highly reactive crystalline poly(allyloxymethyl)oxymethylene was obtained from AOA by using organoaluminum compounds as initiators at low temperature. The influence of initiators, solvents, and temperature on the polymerization was examined. Conspicuous exothermal behavior of the resulting polymer observed in the temperature range of 110–140°C in air with a differential scanning calorimeter, was not only due to an oxidative scission of the polyoxymethylene chain but also due to a chain reaction of neighboring allyl side groups in the polymer chain.     

The evolution of nanopores in allylated calixarene resin during thermal cure

In this paper one kind of new thermosetting resin, allyl etherified calixarene (allylated calixarene), was prepared and investigated. Claisen rearrangement reaction could not occurred due to the existence of para-positioned substituent in allylated calixarenes, and thermal cure proceeded at comparably low curing temperature (210–230?°C, lower than the curing temperature of allylated Bisphenol-A and allylated phenol-formaldehyde prepolymer at 330?°C). Allylated p-methylcalixarene cannot remain its nanopore conformation (i.e., cone conformation) even before its thermal cure. Allylated p-tert-butylcalixarene can keep its cone conformation at room temperature and low curing temperature (e.g., <130?°C), however its nanopores will be destroyed upon heating at high temperature (the gradually level-off and quietly weak diffraction peak in the Small Angle X-ray Diffraction profile). Allylated p-phenylcalixarene can preserve its nanopore conformation at room temperature and high curing temperature (e.g., 200?°C). The results indicated that the larger para-substituent will hinder the inversion of phenolic ring, and the higher curing temperature will promote the rotation of phenolic ring.     

The transport properties of polyimide isomers containing hexafluoroisopropylidene in the diamine residue

The effect of modification of the central moiety of the dianhydride residue and isomerism on the gas transport and physical properties were compared for six polyimides containing the hexafluoroisopropylidene group in the diamine residue. Substitution of bulkier groups within the dianhydride residue resulted in disruption of chain packing and slight increases in resistance to chain motions which led to an increase in permeability with little loss in selectivity. The permeabilities and diffusivities in the meta connected polyimide isomers were considerably lower than in the para connected polyimide isomers. Similarly, the permselectivities in the meta connected isomers were consistently higher than in the para connected isomers. These lower permeabilities and higher permselectivities were a result of the more dense packing and a significant suppression of small scale motions in the meta connected isomers. The suppression of segmental mobility in the meta connected isomers was indicated by an increase in the sub Tg transition temperatures in these materials relative to the para connected isomers. The differences in transport properties for these polyimides were attributed to contributions by several factors, including: (1) total free volume (2) distribution of free volume (3) intersegmental resistance to chain motions, and (4) intrasegmental resistance to chain motions. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Mechanistic study of thermal behavior and combustion performance of epoxy resins: I homopolymerized TGDDM

Tetraglycidyl 4,4′-diaminodiphenylmethane (TGDDM) undergoes homopolymerization on heating. Intramolecular reactions which compete with crosslinking favor the formation of cyclic structures with increasing thermal and fire resistance of the resin, whereas physical mechanical properties tend to decrease. The mechanism of thermal decomposition of TGDDM is studied by thermogravimetry, differential scanning calorimetry and thermal volatilization analysis with characterization of volatiles evolved and residue left. Thermal degradation of poly-(TGDDM) starts at 260°C with elimination of water from secondary alcoholic groups which is a typical pathway for epoxy resin degradation. Resulting unsaturations weaken bonds in the β-position and provoke the first chain breaking at allyl–amine and allyl–either bonds. With increasing temperature, saturated alkyl–ether bonds and alkyl carbon–carbon bonds are broken first, followed by the most stable alkyl–aryl bonds at T>365°C. The combustion performance of TGDDM is discussed on the basis of the thermal degradation behavior.     

Ethylene polymerization studies with supported cyclopentadienyl,arene, and allyl chromium catalysts

Highly active catalysts for low pressure ethylene polymerization are formed when chromocene, bis (benzene)- or bis (cumene)-chromium or tris- or bis (allyl)-chromium compounds are deposited on high surface area silica-alumina or silica supports. Each catalyst type shows its own unique behavior in preparation, polymerization, activity, isomerization, and response to hydrogen as a chain transfer agent. The arene chromium compounds require an acidic support (silicaalumina) or thermal aging with silica to form a highly active catalyst. At 90°C polymerization temperature arene chromium catalysts produced high molecular weight polyethylene and showed, in contrast to supported chromocene catalysts, a much lower response to hydrogen as a chain transfer agent. An increase in polymerization temperature caused a significant decrease in polymer molecular weight. Addition of cyclopentadiene to supported bis (cumene)-chromium catalyst led to a new catalyst which showed a chain transfer response to hydrogen typical of a supported chromocene catalyst. Polymerization activity with tris- or bis (allyl)-chromium appears to depend on the divalent chromium content in the catalyst. Changes in the silica dehydration temperature of supported allyl chromium catalyst have a significant effect on the resulting polymer molecular weight. High molecular weight polymers were formed with catalysts that were prepared using silica dehydration temperatures below about 400°C. Dimers, trimers, and oligomers of ethylene were usually formed with catalysts that were prepared on silica dehydrated much above 400°C. The order of activity of the different types of catalysts was chromocene/silica > chromocene/silica-alumina > bis (arene)-chromium/silica-alumina ? allyl chromium/silica.     

Effect of hydrogen bonding on the polymerization of N-(o-,m-, and p-methoxyphenyl)- and N-(o-,m-, and p-ethoxyphenyl)-methacrylamides

Summary Study of the rates of polymerization of N-(o-, m-, and p-methoxyphenyl)- and N-(o-, m-, and p-ethoxy-phenyl)methacrylamides showed that the ortho isomers of these compounds, in which there is no association between the molecules, polymerize much more rapidly than their meta and para isomers, the molecules of which are associated through hydrogen bonds.     

Synthesis and characterization of bismaleimides from epoxy resins

Novel bismaleimides (BMIs) were prepared from functional monomaleimides and diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) and some of them were shown to have good processibility and improved water resistance while retaining characteristic thermal stability of polyimide. Functional monomaleimides were synthesized via the condensation reaction of maleic anhydride with either aminobenzoic acid or aminophenol. Crosslinking reaction of thus obtained BMIs was carried out with or without catalyst at the temperature range of 100–250°C. The type of the functional group species and their position in monomaleimides significantly affected the crosslinking behavior of the resulting BMIs and the thermal property of their crosslinked products. BMIs with meta linkage, obtained from meta monomaleimides, exhibited much faster thermal crosslinking behavior than corresponding para BMIs. When the molecular weight of BMI was larger, the crosslinking density became smaller and T_g was lower as expected, while the viscosity started to increase at a higher temperature. Glass transition temperatures of the crosslinked resins were in the range of 160–250°C and these resins showed excellent thermal stability up to 370°C.     

Thermal elimination of isobutene from meta and para tert-di-butyl pyromellitic acid

An investigation of the kinetics of the thermal elimination of isobutene from the meta and para isomers of the tert-butyl diesters of pyromellitic acid has been carried out using Fourier transform-Raman spectroscopy and mass spectroscopy. These studies indicate that the elimination of the tert-butyl group occurs at a temperature 26°C lower for the meta isomer than for the para isomer; the maximum rate of elimination occurs at 184°C for the former and at 210°C for the latter. Analysis of the Raman spectra of the compounds indicates that this effect results from the better packing arrangement in the para monomer compared with the meta monomer. Formation of pyromellitic dianhydride in the tert-butyl diesters of pyromellitic acid occurred only after formation of the pyromellitic acid; thus it occurred at lower temperatures for the meta isomer. When the meta and para tert-butyl diesters of pyromellitic acid are dissolved at 1% concentration in poly (vinyl acetate), the elimination of isobutene occurs at 173°C for both isomers, indicating that it is the differences in crystal packing which give rise to the 26°C difference in the solid-state samples. For the meta, para, and 50/50 mixed isomers of the tert-butyl esters of oxydianiline/pyromellitic dianhydride polyamic acid, the elimination of the tert-butyl group occurs at the same temperature (177°C). This result indicates that the packing arrangement of the tert-butyl group is disrupted in the polymer chain, so that intermolecular bonding does not hinder thermal deprotection of the tert-butyl group from the polymer. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Experimental and modeling study of the oxidation of xylenes

This paper describes an experimental and modeling study of the oxidation of the three isomers of xylene (ortho‐, meta‐, and para‐xylenes). For each compound, ignition delay times of hydrocarbon–oxygen–argon mixtures with fuel equivalence ratios from 0.5 to 2 were measured behind reflected shock waves for temperatures from 1330 to 1800 K and pressures from 6.7 to 9 bar. The results show a similar reactivity for the three isomers. A detailed kinetic mechanism has been proposed, which reproduces our experimental results, as well as some literature data obtained in a plug flow reactor at 1155 K showing a clear difference of reactivity between the three isomers of xylene. The main reaction paths have been determined by sensitivity and flux analyses and have allowed the differences of reactivity to be explained. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 38: 284–302, 2006     

Synthesis and thermal self-crosslinking reaction of polymer containing spiro ortho ester and carboxylic acid

Polymers with both pendant spiro ortho ester and carboxylic acid moieties were synthesized by partial esterification of poly(methacrylic acid), poly(methacrylic acid-co-methyl methacrylate), or poly(methacrylic acid-co-styrene) with halomethylated spiro ortho esters in the presence of 1,8-diazabicyclo[5,4,0]undecene-7 in dimethyl sulfoxide. The extent of esterification increased with increasing reaction temperature. The reaction of polymeric carboxylic acids with chloromethylated spiro ortho esters proceeded to 80% of conversion at 100°C for 120 h. In contrast, the degree of esterification with bromomethylated spiro ortho ester reached 80% at 60°C within 24 h. Thermo-crosslinking of polymers having pendant spiro ortho ester moiety and carboxylic acid could be effected in films. The rate of spiro ortho ester ring-opening increased with increasing reaction temperature and with increasing content of carboxylic acid groups in the polymer. Further, the rates of gel production were also measured. The polymer containing an equimolar mixture of spiro ortho ester moieties and carboxylic acids exhibited the highest reactivity. In addition, it was found that thermal crosslinking reaction of the polymer occurred with minimum volume shrinkage.