Studies on propagating species in cationic polymerization of styrene derivatives by acetyl perchlorate or iodine. III. Effect of salt on cationic copolymerization of styrene derivatives with vinyl ethers by acetyl perchlorate

A common-ion salt, tetra-n-butylammonium perchlorate, was found to affect the monomer reactivity ratios in the cationic copolymerization by acetyl perchlorate of styrene with p-methylstyrene and of 2-chloroethyl vinyl ether with p-methylstyrene, but not those for the copolymerization of 2-chloroethyl vinyl ether with isobutyl vinyl ether. In the copolymerization of p-methylstyrene with styrene or with 2-chloroethyl vinyl ether, the addition of the common-ion salt in a polar solvent shifted the monomer reactivity ratios to those in a less polar solvent. The molecular weight distribution analysis of the copolymer suggested that the addition of the common-ion salt depresses the dissociation of propagating species. Therefore, it was concluded that a propagating species with a different degree of dissociation shows a different relative reactivity towards two monomers. The nature of propagating species was also discussed on the basis of the common-ion effect on the monomer reactivity ratios in various solvents.     

Cationic polymerization of styrene by acetyl perchlorate: Molecular weight distribution of polystyrene and nature of the propagating species

To clarify the nature of the propagating species in cationic polymerization of styrene catalyzed by acetyl perchlorate, the molecular weight distribution of the polymer was investigated under various conditions. The molecular weight distribution curve for the polymer obtained in methylene chloride at 0°C showed a double peak phenomenon. This suggests that two or more kinds of propagating species participate simultaneously in the propagation reaction. The weight fraction W(H) of the polymer corresponding to the higher molecular weight peak increased with increasing polarity of the solvent. W(H) decreased when the concentration of the ionic species was increased either by an increase of the catalyst concentration or by the addition of the common salt such as tetra-n-butylammonium perchlorate. On the other hand, the position of the peak in the molecular weight distribution curve was independent of polymerization conditions. It was concluded that the higher molecular weight part of the polymer was produced under conditions for conductive to dissociation of the propagating species and the less dissociated propagating species was responsible for the lower molecular weight part of the polymer.     

Studies on propagating species in cationic polymerization of styrene derivatives by acetyl perchlorate or iodine. IV. Common-ion salt effect on the polymerization rate and the steric structure of the polymer obtained by acetyl perchlorate

Effects of a common-ion salt, n-Bu₄NClO₄, on the cationic polymerization of styrene and p-chlorostyrene by acetyl perchlorate were studied in a variety of solvents at 0°C. In polymerization (in CH₂Cl₂) which yielded polymers with a bimodal molecular weight distribution (MWD), addition of the salt suppressed the formation of higher polymers, but affected neither the molecular weight nor the steric structure of the lower polymers. The polymerization rate decreased with increasing salt concentration and became constant at or above a certain concentration. In nitrobenzene, on the other hand, the MWD of the polymers was unimodal and steric structure was unchanged even in the presence of salt at a concentration 50 times that of the catalyst. However, the polymerization rate and the polymer molecular weight decreased monotonically as salt concentration increased. On the basis of these results, it was concluded that the ion pair in methylene chloride differs from that in nitrobenzene, and that the species in the latter solvent is similar in nature to free ions. The fractional contribution of the dissociated and nondissociated propagating species to polymer formation was determined from the rate depression caused by addition of the salt.     

Studies on propagating species in cationic polymerization of styrene derivatives by acetyl perchlorate or iodine. I. Bimodal molecular weight distribution of polymers produced by acetyl perchlorate or iodine

To investigate the nature of the propagating species in cationic polymerization of para-substituted styrenes, p-chlorostyrene (pCIS), p-methylstyrene (pMS), and p-methoxystyrene (pMOS), were polymerized with acetyl perchlorate or iodine in various solvents at 0°C, and the molecular weight distribution (MWD) of the polymers was measured by means of gel-permeation chromatography. When ClO_4? was a counterion, poly(pCIS) having a bimodal MWD was produced, while polymers of pMOS and pMS possessed a unimodal MWD, regardless of the solvent polarity. When more nucleophilic I^? (or I₃^?) was a counterion, however, polymers having a bimodal MWD were produced from pMOS and pMS. These results showed that either dissociated or nondissociated propagating species existed in the cationic polymerization of styrene derivatives with acetyl perchlorate or iodine, and that the type of MWD was strongly dependent on the stability of the growing cation and the nucleophilicity of the counterion.     

Protolytic equilibria of fluorescein halo derivatives in aqueous-organic systems

The dissociation constants of fluorescein halo derivatives containing substituents in the xanthene ring and/or in the phthalic acid moiety were determined in 91.4 wt % aqueous ethanol. The tautomerism of the dyes was inferred from the electronic absorption spectra of ions and molecules in this solvent and of the dichloromethane and chloroform extracts of associates of the anions with tetra-n-butylammonium cations. The equilibria in two-phase systems were considered.     

Cationic Copolymerization of 2-Chloroethyl Vinyl Ether with Styrene Derivatives. III. Solvent and Catalyst Effects on Relative Reactivity

Abstract

The change in relative reactivity in the cationic copolymerization of 2-chloroethyl vinyl ether and styrene derivatives was investigated with various catalysts and solvents. p-Methoxystyrene, p-methylstyrene, and a-methyl-styrene were used as styrene derivatives. The styrene content in the co-polymer increased when a polar solvent and/or a strong catalyst was used. The change of relative reactivity in the copolymerization of 2-chloroethyl vinyl ether with styrene derivatives was much greater than that in the copolymerization between vinyl ethers or styrene derivatives. When nitro-ethane was used as a solvent, not only the polarity but also the nucleophilicity influenced the copolymer composition. The results were discussed by two energies, E^π and E_rs, which are measures of complex formation between monomer and carbonium ion, and stabilization energy in the transition state, respectively.     

Selective vinyl cationic polymerization of monomers with two cationically polymerizable groups. II. p-vinylphenyl glycidyl ether: An epoxy-functionalized styrene

p-Vinylphenyl glycidyl ether (VPGE), a styrene derivative with an epoxy pendant, was polymerized by various cationic initiators, and its selective vinyl polymerization was investigated at low temperatures below ?15°C. BF₃OEt₂ (a metal halide) and CF₃SO₃H (a strong protonic acid) polymerized both vinyl and epoxy groups of VPGE, and produced cross-linked insoluble polymers. The HI/I₂ initiating system and iodine, in contrast, polymerized its vinyl group in polar solvents (CH₂Cl₂ and nitroethane) highly selectively in the temperature range of ?15 to ?40°C to give soluble polymers with a polystyrene backbone and epoxy pendants; however, under these conditions, 10–15% of the epoxy groups of the polymers were consumed during the polymerization by the reaction with the growing species. The polymerization by HI/I₂ in CH₂CI₂ involved a long-lived propagating species, as indicated by a progressive increase in the molecular weight (M?_n) of the polymers with monomer conversion and their fairly narrow molecular weight distributions (M?_w/M?_n ～ 1.6). The differences between the polymerizations of VPGE and p-isopropenylphenyl glycidyl ether, an α-methylstyrene-type counterpart of VPGE, were also discussed with an emphasis on the effects of the α-methyl group in the latter monomer.     

Cationic polymerization of α,β-disubstituted olefins. Part 17. Effect of polymerization conditions on the reactivity of alkenyl ethers relative to vinyl ethers

In order to clarify the propagation reaction, vinyl ether was copolymerized with the corresponding alkenyl ether under various conditions. cis-Propenyl ether (cis-PE) was several times more reactive than trans-PE and the corresponding vinyl ether in the copolymerization catalyzed by BF₃ · O(C₂H₅)₂ in toluene. However, the reactivity of cis-PE relative to trans-PE and the vinyl ether was found to be greatly decreased with increasing polarity of the solvent and to be very close to unity in such polar solvents as nitroethane. On the other hand, the reactivity of trans-IBPE relative to IBVE was scarcely changed by polymerization conditions. Also, the nature of the initiator and polymerization temperature affect the reactivity of cis-PE relative to the vinyl ether. These phenomena were explained by the relative stability of the bridged and open car bonium ions based on the polarity of the solvent and steric hindrance due to substituents in the trans isomer.     

Synthesis of silicon-containing vinyl ether monomers and oligomers and their photoinitiated polymerization

Silicon-containing divinyl ether monomers were synthesized by the addition reaction of glycidyl vinyl ether ( 1 ) with various silyl dichlorides using tetra-n-butylammonium bromide (TBAB) as a catalyst. The reaction of 1 with diphenyl dichlorosilane gave bis-[1-(chloromethyl)-2-(vinyloxy)-ethyl]diphenyl silane ( 3a ) in 89% yield. Polycondensations of 3a with terephthalic acid were also carried out using 1,8-Diazabicyclo[5.4.0]-7-undecene (DBU) to afford silicon-containing polyfunctional vinyl ether oligomers ( 5 ). A multifunctional Si-monomer with both vinyl ether and methacrylate groups ( 7 ) was prepared by the reaction of 3a with potassium methacrylate using TBAB as a phase transfer catalyst. Photoinitiated cationic polymerizations of these vinyl ether compounds proceeded rapidly using the sulfonium salt, bis-[4-(diphenyl-sulfonio)phenyl]sulfide-bis-hexafluorophoshate (DPSP), as the cationic photoinitiator in neat mixtures upon UV irradiation. Multifunctional monomer 7 with both vinyl ether and methacrylate groups showed “hybrid curing properties” using both DPSP and the radical photoinitiator, 2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphoshine oxide (TPO). © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 3217–3225, 1997     

Synthesis and characterization of copolymers from 4-halo(chloro, bromo) salicylic acid

Copolymers have been prepared by condensing a mixture of either 4-chloro or 4-bromosalicylic acid and any one of the comonomer like salicylic acid,p-hydroxybenzoic acid,p-aminosalicylic acid,p-aminobenzoic acid,p-cresol andp-halo(chloro, bromo)phenol with formaldehyde in the presence of 5M H₂SO₄. Copolymer composition of each of the copolymer has been estimated on the basis of halogen content and/or on the basis of results of non-aqueous titrations of the copolymer against standard sodium methoxide and/or tetra-n-butylammonium hydroxide. The IR spectral characteristics of copolymers have been noted. The viscometric and thermal studies of copolymers have also been carried out.     

Cationic polymerization of α,β-disubstituted olefins. V. Reactivity of propenyl alkyl ethers in cationic polymerization

To elucidate the effect of the introduction of a methyl group in the β-position of a vinyl monomer, propenyl alkyl ethers were copolymerized with vinyl ethers having the same alkoxy group. Propenyl alkyl ethers with an unbranched alkoxy group (ethyl or n-butyl propenyl ether) were more reactive than the corresponding vinyl ethers. This behavior is quite different from that of β-methylstyrene derivatives. However, propenyl alkyl ethers with branched alkoxy groups at the α carbon atom (isopropyl or tert-butyl propenyl ether) were less reactive than the corresponding vinyl ethers. Also, cis- isomers were more reactive than the trans isomers, regardless of the kind of alkoxy group and the polarity of the solvent.     

Cationic polymerization of vinyl compounds in the presence of tetra-n-butylammonium salts

The effects of salts were examined in cationic polymerization of vinyl compounds. Cationic polymerization of styrene was carried out at 0°C, with acetyl perchlorate, stannic chloride, stannic chloride–trichloroacetic acid and boron trifluoride etherate as catalysts. Tetra-n-butylammonium perchlorate, fluoroborate and iodide were used as salts. The presence of small amounts of the salts changed both the polymerization rate and the molecular weight of polymer considerably. The consideration of various effects led to the conclusion that the results are explicable principally on the basis of counterion exchange. To confirm this, the copolymerization of 2-chloroethyl vinyl ether with γ-methylstyrene was investigated at ?78°C. The copolymer composition curve when stannic chloride was used as catalyst was changed and coincided with that of polymer obtained with acetyl perchlorate catalysis when the perchlorate salt was added. This supports the concept of counterion exchange.     

Metal-free synthesis of reactive oligomers by ring-opening oligomerization of glycidyl phenyl ether initiated with tetra-n-butylammonium fluoride in the presence of various protic compounds

Metal-free ring-opening oligomerizations of glycidyl phenyl ether (GPE) were performed with tetra-n-butylammonium fluoride (n-Bu₄NF) as an initiator in the presence of protic compounds (RHs) as chain transfer agents (CTAs). The RHs having pKa between 4.66 and 15.5 enabled to serve as the CTA in this oligomerization system, leading to reactive oligomers with relatively controlled molecular weights having narrow molecular weight distributions bearing functional groups such as alkene, benzyl ether, alkyne, ester and methacrylate groups at initiating end.     

Structure and reactivity in cationic polymerization of butadiene derivatives. IV. 1-alkoxybutadienes

The reactivity of trans-1-alkoxybutadienes in cationic homopolymerization and copolymerizations and structure of the polymers produced were investigated. 1-Ethoxybutadiene is polymerized easily at ?78°C by various acidic catalysis. The reactivity of 1-ethoxybutadiene was similar to that of ethyl vinyl ether. The polymers produced possessed molecular weights of several thousands, and were composed of 70–95% 1,4 structure and 5–30% 3,4 structure. In the copolymerization of ethyl vinyl ether (M₁) with 1-ethoxybutadiene at ?78°C in toluene by boron trifluoride diethyl etherate, r₁ = 1.15, r₂ = 2.62. From the Hammett plot of the relative reactivities of alkoxybutadienes (alkoxy: CH₃O, C₂H₅O, i-C₃H₇O), the reaction constant _p^* was determined to be ?2.9. Results of the present study were compared with those of various butadiene derivatives.     

Cationic polymerization of p-methylstyrene initiated by acetyl perchlorate: An approach to living polymerization

The cationic polymerization of p-methylstyrene initiated by acetyl perchlorate at ?78°C led to long-lived (living-like) polymers with a narrow molecular weight distribution (M?_w/M?_n = 1.1–1.4) in methylene chloride containing a common ion salt (n-Bu₄NClO₄) or in a less polar solvent (CH₂Cl₂/toluene, 1/4v/v). Under these conditions, the number-average molecular weight (M?_n) of the polymers increased in proportion to monomer conversion and was regulated by the monomer-to-initiator ratio. When fresh feeds of the monomer were repeatedly added to a completely polymerized solution, the polymerization ensued at the same rate as before and the linear increase in M?_n with monomer conversion continued. The effects of solvent polarity and the common ion salt on the polymerization showed the suppression of the ionic dissociation of the propagating species, resulting in a “nondissociated species,” to be the key factor for the formation of the long-lived polymers.     

The effect of electrolyte-controlled growth morphology on the charge transport properties of poly(3-methylthiophene)

Poly(3-methylthiophene) films were potentiostatically and galvanostatically synthesized on platinum electrodes in acetonitrile using lithium perchlorate, lithium tetrafluoroborate, tetra-n-butylammonium perchlorate, and tetra-n-butylammonium tetrafluoroborate as supporting electrolytes. Cyclic voltammetric analyses of the polymer films indicate the synthesis is polymerization process dependent. Constant potential syntheses, which resulted in a higher current density and were carried out at higher potentials, yielded polymer films with a higher charge capacity. Chronocoulometric results show that the charge transport rates of the films were electrolyte dependent and that tetra-n-butylammonium tetrafluoroborate yielded poly(3-methyl-thiophene) with the highest charge transport rate. The charge transport rate was found to be electric field dependent for all cases, suggesting that the films resemble a porous electrode. Scanning electron microscope analyses of the films, prepared under various conditions, indicate that the synthesis method used, and the nature of the electrolyte, strongly influence morphology and charge transport.     

Sulfur-containing vinyl monomers. XIII. Cationic copolymerizations of vinyl sulfides with some vinyl monomers

Cationic copolymerizations of vinyl sulfides (VS) with some vinyl monomers with boron tri-fluoride-diethyl etherate catalyst were investigated to evaluate their monomer reactivities. The effects of VS on the copolymer yield and viscosity of the resulting copolymers revealed the inhibition or retardation mechanism which was explained in terms of the formation of a stable vinylsulfonium salt by the reaction between a propagating carbonium ion and VS monomer. From the results of copolymerizations of phenyl vinyl sulfide (PVS) with isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE), β-chloroethyl vinyl ether (CEVE), α-methylstyrene (α-MeSt), and styrene (St), the relative reactivities of these monomers were found to be in the following order: IBVE > CEVE > PVS > α-MeSt > St. The relatively higher reactivity of PVS than St derivatives was explained on the basis of the conjugative and electron-donating nature of the VS monomer. The effects of alkyl and para-substituted phenyl groups in vinyl sulfides on their reactivities toward the propagating carbonium ion were correlated with polar factors and compared with those of the hydrolysis of α-mercaptomethyl chlorides. The transition state for the propagation reaction in cationic polymerization of VS was proposed to be a π-complex type structure.     

Living cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers and styrene derivatives: Design of initiating systems based on added salts with halogen anions

This paper overviews three living cationic polymerization systems (for styrene, p-methoxystyrene, and isobutyl vinyl ether) that are, in common, featured by: (i) specifically in nonpolar solvents, the use of the hydrogen halide/metal halide initiating systems (HX/MX_n; X: I, Br, Cl; MX_n: ZnX₂, SnCl₄), which generate a living growing carbocation stabilized by a nucleophilic counteranion (X⁻…MX_n); (ii) specifically in polar solvents, the use of externally added ammonium salts (nBu₄N⁺Y⁻; Y⁻: I⁻, Br⁻, Cl⁻), which permit the generation of living species from HX/MX_n by providing nucleophilic halogen anions Y⁻, either the same as or different from the halogen X⁻ in HX.     

Vinyl polymerization. 403. Polymerization of vinyl monomer initiated with sodium poly-p-vinylphenolate

The polymerization of vinyl monomer initiated by poly-p-vinylphenol (PVPh) in NaOH aqueous solution was carried out at 85°C with shaking. Methyl methacrylate (MMA) was polymerized, whereas styrene and acrylonitrile were not. PVPh, which is dissociated into phenolate form (PVPh^?Na⁺) in NaOH aqueous solution, was effective for the polymerization. The effects of the amounts of MMA, PVPh, NaOH, and H₂O on the conversion of MMA were studied. The rate of polymerization of MMA increased with an increase in the molecular weight of PVPh-Na. The overall activation energy was estimated as 54 kJ mol^?1. The polymerization proceeded through a radical mechanism. The addition of tetra-n-butylammonium bromide increased the rate of polymerization.     

Grafting of a bicycloorthoester onto polymers bearing sulfonium salt structures

Graft copolymerization of a bicycloorthoester (BOE) with polymer-supported sulfonium salts was studied. Several polymer-supported sulfonium salts were prepared by the homopolymerizations of p-vinylbenzyl tetramethylenesulfonium hexafluoroantimonate ( 2 ) and 4-(p-vinylphenyl)butyl tetramethylenesulfonium hexafluoroantimonate ( 3 ), and by the copolymerizations of 2 with some vinyl monomers (n-butyl vinyl ether, styrene, acrylonitrile, and p-styrenesulfonic acid potassium salt). These sulfonium salts could initiate the polymerization of BOE to give grafted polymers. Temperature dependences of the catalytic activity of them were not so dramatic as that of benzyl tetramethylenesulfonium hexafluoroantimonate ( 1 ), but the activities of them were higher than that of 1 at temperatures lower than 80°C. The conversion of BOE in the polymerizations with these polymer initiators was ca. 30–70% at 120°C for 7 h. An effect of the comonomer structure on the catalytic activity was observed and styrene was the best comonomer for 2 in terms of the reactivity of the copolymer. The spacer-modified sulfonium salt (homopolymer of 3 ) was slightly lower than polymer-supported benzyl type sulfonium salt (homopolymer of 2 ) in the catalytic activity.