Ring‐opening polymerization of 1,3‐benzoxazines by p‐toluenesulfonates as thermally latent initiators

p‐Toluenesulfonic acid (TsOH) and several alkyl p‐toluenesulfonates, that is, methyl p‐toluenesulfonate (TsOMe), cyclohexyl p‐toluenesulfonate (TsOCH), and neopentyl p‐toluenesulfonate (TsONP), were evaluated as initiators for the ring‐opening polymerization of benzoxazines. TsOH and TsOMe were highly efficient initiators that induced the polymerization at 60 and 80 °C, respectively. In contrast, TsOCH and TsONP did not initiate the polymerization below 100 °C, while they induced the polymerization at elevated temperatures, 120 and 150 °C, respectively. When TsOCH was used as an initiator, the corresponding polymerization rate was comparable to that observed for the polymerization with using TsOH as an initiator. These results suggested that neutral TsOCH and TsONP can be regarded as “thermally latent initiators,” which underwent the thermal dissociation at the elevated temperatures to generate the corresponding alkyl cations and/or TsOH as the initiators of the polymerization. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Ring opening polymerization of epoxides with urea‐derivatives of 4‐aminopyridine as thermally latent anionic initiator

In this study, a series of urea‐derivatives of 4‐aminopyridine (4AP) were evaluated as thermally latent initiators for the anionic ring‐opening polymerization of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA). The urea‐derivatives were synthesized by the reactions of 4AP with the corresponding iso(thio)cyanates (phenyl isocyanate, tert‐butyl isocyanate, methylene diphenyl diisocyanate, and phenyl isothiocyanate). The ability of the urea‐derivatives as latent initiators was investigated with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC): Upon heating formulations comprised of DGEBA and the urea‐derivatives in a heating rate at 10 °C/min, the resulting DSC profiles indicated exothermic peaks to confirm that DGEBA underwent the polymerization efficiently. The corresponding DSC‐peak top temperatures (T_{peak top}) was higher than that observed for the formulation comprised of DGEBA and pristine 4AP, to clarify that the urea are useful initiators with thermal latency. A possible mechanism for the initiation step involves the thermal dissociation of the urea into 4AP and the corresponding isocyanates. 4AP thus generated readily initiated the ring‐opening polymerization of epoxide. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 2518–2522     

Aminimides derived from p‐substituted benzoylformic acid ester as thermal/photolatent bases and photoradical initiators

Derivatives of 1,1‐dimethyl‐1‐(2‐hydroxypropyl)amine benzoylformimide (BFI and 1a–c) were synthesized from 1,1‐dimethylhydrazine, propylene oxide, and p‐substituted benzoylformic acid ester, respectively, and their activity as thermal/photolatent bases and photoradical initiators was studied in detail. Their thermal decomposition activity increased by the electron‐donating substituents on the benzene ring, being in order of 1a (p‐NMe₂) > 1b (p‐MeO) > BFI (H) > 1c (p‐NO₂). Photolysis activities were also affected by the substituents, in the following order: 1b > BFI > 1a > 1c. Thermal and photoinduced base‐catalyzed polymerization of the epoxide/thiol system and photoradical polymerization of a vinyl monomer, 2‐hydroxylethyl methacrylate, were carried out by using the aminimides as latent initiators. Their activity as thermal base and photobase/radical initiators could be correlated to their thermal decomposition and the photolysis activity, respectively. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 4292–4300     

Functional benzoxazines containing ammonium salt of carboxylic acid: Synthesis and highly activated thermally induced ring‐opening polymerization

1,3‐Benzoxazine monomers having ammonium salt of carboxylic acid have been developed. These 1,3‐benzoxazines 1a and 1b were easily synthesized from the corresponding tetrabutylammonium salts of glycine and β‐alanine, respectively. The glycine‐derived benzoxazine 1a exhibited remarkably high reactivity, which allowed its thermally induced ring‐opening polymerization in bulk at 100 °C, at which N‐methyl‐1,3‐benzoxazine 1d did not undergo the polymerization at all. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Synthesis of phosphate end‐functional polymers and application to thermally latent polymeric initiators

Novel phosphates, O‐p‐(hydroxymethyl)benzyl O,O‐diethyl phosphate ( 1 ) and O‐(2‐bromoisobutyryloxymethyl)benzyl O,O‐diethyl phosphate ( 2 ) were synthesized by the reaction of diethyl phosphorochloridate with 1,4‐benzenedimethanol and the successive reaction with 2‐bromoisobutyryl bromide in the presence of triethylamine and submitted to the polymerization of ?‐caprolactone and methyl methacrylate as the initiators. They afforded phosphate end‐functional poly(?‐caprolactone) and poly(methyl methacrylate) with controlled molecular weights and polydispersity ratios by living ring‐opening polymerization and samarium‐induced polymerization. The polymerization of glycidyl phenyl ether (GPE) was carried out with the phosphate end‐functional polymers as the latent polymeric initiators in the presence of ZnCl₂. The polymerization of GPE did not proceed below 90 °C, but it rapidly proceeded to afford poly(GPE) above the temperature. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 39: 3832–3840, 2001     

Unequal siblings: Adverse characteristics of naphtalene‐based hoveyda‐type second generation initiators in ring opening metathesis polymerization

A family of four different Hoveyda‐type initiators bearing a π‐extended carbene ligand was characterized regarding the activity in ring opening metathesis polymerization. One of the initiators shows high activity at ambient temperature, similar to the second generation Hoveyda–Grubbs catalyst and is even suited for the controlled polymerization of certain norbornene derivatives. The other family members exhibit a pronounced latency at room temperature, and polymerization can be triggered by heat. The scope of these initiators in the thermally triggered polymerizations of norbornene derivatives in general and dicyclopentadiene in particular was disclosed. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011.     

Polymerization of an epoxy‐containing silacyclobutane and its application to networked polymer synthesis

Polymerization of a silacyclobutane having an epoxy moiety and its application to networked polymer synthesis were examined. Four‐membered ring‐opening polymerization of silacyclobutane having a 3,4‐epoxybutyl group on the silicon atom (OBMSB) was achieved by using a platinum vinyldisiloxane complex with keeping the epoxy ring unchanged. Copolymerization of 1,1‐diethylsilacyclobutane (DESB) with OBMSB by using the same catalyst effectively gave the corresponding copolymers [poly(DESB‐co‐OBMSB)]. Thermal properties of the polyOBMSB, polyDESB, and poly(DESB‐co‐OBMSB) were investigated by DSC and TGA. Cast films of the obtained polymers with 1‐naphthylmethylmethyl‐p‐hydroxyphenylsulfonium hexafluoroantimonate, a small amount of thermally latent acid generator were prepared. Heating the films at 80 °C for 2 h gave crosslinked networked polycarbosilanes through cationic ring‐opening of the epoxy moieties. Thermal and mechanical properties of the networked polymers were investigated by TGA, DSC, and tensile strength measurements. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 3400–3405     

Acceleration effect of N‐allyl group on thermally induced ring‐opening polymerization of 1,3‐benzoxazine

Thermally induced ring‐opening polymerization of monofunctional N‐allyl‐1,3‐benzoxazine 1a was compared with that of N‐(n‐propyl)‐1,3‐benzoxazine 1b to clarify an unexpected effect of allyl group to promote the polymerization, that is, in spite of the comparable bulkiness of allyl group to n‐propyl group, the polymerization of 1a was much faster than that of 1b . Such a difference in polymerization rate was also observed similarly in the comparison of thermally induced polymerization of a bifunctional N‐allyl‐benzoxazine 2a with that of a bifunctional N‐(n‐propyl) analogue 2b . These observations implied a certain contribution of an electron‐rich C? C double bond of the N‐ally group to promotion of the ring‐opening reaction of 1,3‐benzoxazine into the corresponding zwitterionic species, which would involve a mechanism to stabilize the cationic part of the zwitterionic species based on “neighboring group participation” of the C? C double bond. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010     

Titanium complexes of dialkanolamine ligands as initiators for living ring‐opening polymerization of ε‐caprolactone

The titanium complexes with one ( 1a , 1b , 1c ) and two ( 2a , 2b ) dialkanolamine ligands were used as initiators in the ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of ε‐caprolactone. Titanocanes 1a and 1b initiated living ROP of ε‐caprolactone affording polymers whose number‐average molecular weights (M_n) increased in direct proportion to monomer conversion (M_n ≤ 30,000 g mol^?1) in agreement with calculated values, and were inversely proportional to initiator concentration, while the molecular weight distribution stayed narrow throughout the polymerization (M_w/M_n ≤ 1.2 up to 80% monomer conversion). ¹H‐NMR and MALDI‐TOF‐MS studies of the obtained poly(ε‐caprolactone)s revealed the presence of an isopropoxy group originated from the initiator at the polymer termini, indicating that the polymerization takes place exclusively at the Ti–OⁱPr bond of the catalyst. The higher molecular weight polymers (M_n ≤ 70,000 g mol^?1) with reasonable MWD (M_w/M_n ≤ 1.6) were synthesized by living ROP of ε‐caprolactone using spirobititanocanes ( 2a , 2b ) and titanocane 1c as initiators. The latter catalysts, according MALDI‐TOF‐MS data, afford poly(ε‐caprolactone)s with almost equal content of α,ω‐dihydroxyl‐ and α‐hydroxyl‐ω(carboxylic acid)‐terminated chains arising due to monomer insertion into “Ti–O” bond of dialkanolamine ligand and from initiation via traces of water, respectively. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 1230–1240, 2010     

Photoinitiated cationic polymerization of monofunctional benzoxazine

The photoinitiated ring‐opening cationic polymerization of a monofunctional benzoxazine, 3‐phenyl‐3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐1,3‐benzoxazine, with onium salts such as diphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate and triphenylsulfonium hexafluorophosphate as initiators was examined. The structures of the polymers thus formed were complex and related to the ring‐opening process of the protonated monomer either at the oxygen or nitrogen atoms. The phenolic mechanism also contributed, but its influence decreased with decreasing monomer concentration. Thermal properties of the polymers were also investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 3320–3328, 2003     

Multiarm star polymers with a thermally cleavable core: A “grafting‐from” approach paves the way

Thermally cleavable multiarm star polymers containing thermo‐reversible furan–maleimide cycloadduct‐based core were synthesized using dendritic macroinitiators. Peripheries of dendritic macroinitiators were modified with bromine containing free radical initiators to obtain multiarm polymers by utilizing atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Cleavage of thus obtained multiarm polymers was achieved via the retro Diels–Alder cycloreversion reaction of the furan–maleimide core at elevated temperatures. As an alternative approach, combination of multiarm polymers containing a furan and maleimide functional group at their core was attempted to realize that the steric bulk does not allow their formation. Hence the “grafting‐from” route using a thermally fragmentable trigger containing multiarm initiators provides a plausible methodology for fabrication of such thermally cleavable multiarm polymeric materials. Syntheses of dendritic initiators, formation of star polymers as well as their fragmentation were followed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and size exclusion chromatography. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55, 885–893     

Promoting effect of thiophenols on the ring‐opening polymerization of 1,3‐benzoxazine

Thiophenol and p‐nitrothiophenol were evaluated as promoters for the ring opening polymerization of benzoxazine. The ring‐opening polymerization of p‐cresol type monofunctional N‐phenyl benzoxazine 1a with 10 mol % of thiophenols proceeded at 150 °C, leading to the high conversion of 1a more than 95% within 5 h, whereas the polymerization of 1a without thiophenols did not proceed under the same conditions. The promotion effect of the thiophenols on curing of bisphenol‐A type N‐phenyl benzoxazine 1b was also investigated. In the differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) analysis of the polymerization of 1b at 150 °C without using any promoters, an exothermic peak attributable to the ring‐opening reaction of benzoxazine was observed after 8 h. In contrast, in the DSC analysis of the polymerization of 1b with addition 20 mol % of p‐nitrothiophenol, an exothermic peak was observed within 2 h, to clarify the significant promoting effect of p‐nitrothiophenol. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 2523–2527     

Design of PEO‐based ruthenium carbene for aqueous metathesis polymerization. Synthesis by the “macromonomer method” and application in the miniemulsion metathesis polymerization of norbornene

Novel water‐soluble ruthenium carbene complexes with finely tuned structure and properties in solution are reported. These ruthenium‐based initiators were found to exhibit great catalytic activity in aqueous miniemulsion ring‐opening metathesis polymerization of norbornene. Stable particles of polynorbornene could be generated in the 200–250 nm size range stabilized with a nonionic surfactant (polystyrene‐b‐poly(ethylene oxide)). © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 2784–2793, 2006     

Reactive polymer zwitterions: Sulfonium sulfonates

Sulfonium sulfonate, or sulfothetin, zwitterionic monomers were synthesized by ring‐opening of 1,3‐propanesultone with dialkyl sulfides containing styrenic or methacrylic moieties. Reversible addition‐fragmentation chain‐transfer polymerization of these monomers was achieved in water or trifluoroethanol, and the resulting polymers exhibited higher upper critical solution temperatures than the analogous sulfobetaine polymers. Unlike typical polymer zwitterions, these polymeric sulfothetins possess an inherent reactivity that proved tunable based on their chemical structures. This reactivity makes them amenable to post‐polymerization modification by nucleophilic dealkylation to rapidly access novel substituted polymers and gels. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55, 83–92     

Synthesis of diblock copolymers by combination of organocatalyzed ring‐opening polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization using trichloroethanol as a bifunctional initiator

This study reports an application of trichloroethanol (TCE) as a bifunctional initiator for the synthesis of block copolymers (BCPs) by organocatalyzed ring‐opening polymerization (OROP) and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). TCE was employed to synthesize a low dispersity poly (valerolactone) macroinitiator, which was subsequently used for the ATRP of tert‐butyl methacrylate. While it is known that TCE can serve as an initiator in ATRP, the ability to induce polymerization under OROP is reported for the first time. The formation of well‐defined BCPs was confirmed by gel permeation chromatography and ¹H NMR. Computational studies were performed to obtain a molecular‐level understanding of the ring‐opening polymerization mechanism involving TCE as initiator. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 563–569     

Radical ring‐opening polymerization of five‐membered cyclic vinyl sulfone using p‐toluenesulfonyl halides

Radical ring‐opening polymerizations of a five‐membered cyclic vinyl sulfone monomer, 2‐vinylthiolane‐1,1‐dioxide (VTDO), was carried out by using p‐toluenesulfonyl iodide (TosI) and bromide (TosBr) as radical initiators, and the corresponding ring‐opened polymer (PVTDO) was obtained. Both TosI and TosBr were found to work as the radical initiators for the polymerization of VTDO in bulk. The use of TosI gave PVTDOs with a broad, multimodal distribution of molecular weight in low yields. When 10 mol % of TosBr was employed, the isolated yield of PVTDO reached 49%, and the obtained PVTDO had a relatively narrow, monomodal molecular weight distribution of 1.8 with an M_n of 4100. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Anionic ring‐opening polymerization of a five‐membered cyclic carbonate having a glucopyranoside structure

Anionic ring‐opening polymerizations of methyl 4,6‐O‐benzylidene‐2,3‐O‐carbonyl‐α‐D ‐glucopyranoside (MBCG) were investigated using various anionic polymerization initiators. Polymerizations of the cyclic carbonate readily proceeded by using highly active initiators such as n‐butyllithium, lithium tert‐butoxide, sodium tert‐butoxide, potassium tert‐butoxide, and 1,8‐diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec‐7‐ene, whereas it did not proceed by using N,N‐dimethyl‐4‐aminopyridine and pyridine as initiators. In a polymerization of MBCG (1.0 M), 99% of MBCG was converted within 30 s to give the corresponding polymer with number‐averaged molecular weight (M_n) of 16,000. However, the M_n of the polymer decreased to 7500 when the polymerization time was prolonged to 24 h. It is because a backbiting reaction might occur under the polymerization conditions. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

End‐functionalized polylactides using a calcium‐based precatalyst: Synthesis and insights by mass spectrometry

A simple and convenient method for the synthesis of end functionalized polylactides (PLAs) under mild conditions by ring opening polymerization (ROP) in the absence of potentially toxic catalysts is described. Various alcohols were used as initiators in combination with Ca[N(SiMe₃)₂]₂(THF)₂ as the precatalyst in THF at room temperature. Tailored end functionalities were obtained in a controlled fashion. Matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐ToF‐MS) and electrospray ionization quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (ESI‐Q‐ToF‐MS) analysis were performed to investigate the end groups. The results confirmed that the end group fidelity was maintained in the isolated PLAs. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 437–448     

Polymerization of o‐quinodimethanes. V. Ionic polymerization of o‐quinodimethanes generated by thermal isomerization of corresponding benzocyclobutenes

The ionic polymerization of substituted o‐quinodimethanes via thermal isomerization of benzocyclobutenes is described. In the cationic polymerizations of 1‐methoxy‐o‐quinodimethane in the presence of various cationic initiators at 110 °C for 12 h, chain transfer reactions also considerably underwent besides the polymerization. Meanwhile, cationic polymerizations of 1‐trimethylsilyloxy‐o‐quinodimethane under the same conditions gave good yields of the corresponding polymer. Anionic polymerizations of 1‐cyano‐o‐quinodimethane in the presence of anionic initiators such as n‐BuLi or t‐BuOK were performed at various temperatures for 12 h. Good yields of hexane‐insoluble polymer, which was produced by anionic polymerization of corresponding o‐quinodimethane as an intermediate, were obtained above 120 °C. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 844–850, 2008     

Polymerization of cyclic imino ethers: From its discovery to the present state of the art

Topics concerning the cationic ring‐opening polymerization of cyclic imino ethers and functional material production based on the resulting polymers are reviewed. Cyclic imino ethers are readily subjected to isomerization polymerization via cationic initiators. Mechanistic studies have provided a new concept, electrophilic polymerization. Double isomerization polymerization and no‐catalyst alternating copolymerization are interesting examples that show characteristics of the ring opening of cyclic imino ethers. The living polymerization of these monomers affords precisely controlled polymeric materials. Through the use of the unique properties of the product polymers, various functional polymeric materials, such as polymeric nonionic surfactants, compatibilizers, hydrogels, stabilizers for dispersion polymerization, biocatalyst modifiers, and supramolecular assemblies, have been developed. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 192–209, 2002