Synthesis of cyclic polysulfides: Controlled ring‐expansion polymerization of cyclic tetrathioester with thiirane

We synthesized cyclic tetrathioesters containing thioester moieties at the o‐position (o‐CTE) and m‐position (m‐CTE) of an aromatic skeleton. The reaction of phenoxy propylenesulfide (PPS) with o‐CTE and m‐CTE was examined using tetrabutylammonium chloride as a catalyst in 1‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidinone, yielding the corresponding cyclic polysulfides poly[o‐CTE(PPS)_n] with M_n's = 37,000–54,000 at 34–61% yields and poly[m‐CTE(PPS)_n] with M_n's = 46,600–107,200 at 63–>99% yields. Although the molecular weights of poly[o‐CTE(PPS)_n] could not be controlled, those of poly[m‐CTE(PPS)_n] could be controlled by the feed ratios of PPS and reaction temperature. Furthermore, the glass transition temperature (T_g) and thermal decomposition temperature (T_dⁱ) of poly[m‐CTE(PPS)_n] increased with decreasing molecular weights. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 857–866     

Synthesis of hetero‐telechelic polymers by self‐polyaddition of monomers containing both oxetanyl and carboxyl groups

The synthesis and self‐polyaddition of new monomers, o‐, m‐, and p‐[(3‐ethyloxetane‐3‐yl)methoxyethyl]benzoic acid (o‐EOMB, m‐EOMB, and p‐EOMB) containing both oxetanyl groups and carboxyl groups were examined. The reactions of o‐EOMB, m‐EOMB, and p‐EOMB in the presence of tetraphenylphosphonium bromide as a catalyst in o‐dichlorobenzene at 150–170 °C resulted in self‐polyaddition to give the corresponding hetero‐telechelic polymers poly(o‐EOMB), poly(m‐EOMB), and poly(p‐EOMB) with M_ns = 14,500–33,400 in satisfactory yields. The M_n of poly(o‐EOMB) decreased at higher reaction temperatures than 150 °C, unlike those of poly(m‐EOMB) and poly(p‐EOMB), possibly due to inter‐ or intraester exchange side reactions. It was also found that the thermal properties and solubilities of these polymers were supposed with the proposed structures. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 7835–7842, 2008     

Preparation of ureido group bearing polymers and their upper critical solution temperature in water

Poly(2‐ureidoethylmethacrylate) (PUEM_n) was synthesized via reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) radical polymerization and following polymer reaction. We prepared two PUEM_n samples with different degrees of polymerization (n = 100 and 49). The polymers exhibited upper critical solution temperature (UCST) in phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS) solution. The phase separation temperature (T_p) in PBS can be controlled ranging from 17 to 55 °C by changing molecular weight of the polymer, polymer concentration, and adding NaCl concentration. The polymers in PBS formed coacervate drops by liquid–liquid phase separations below T_p. Results of the dielectric relaxation measurement, the hydration number per monomeric unit was 5 above T_p. Based on a fluorescence study, the polymer formed slightly hydrophobic environments below T_p. The liquid–liquid phase separation was occurred presumably because of weak hydrophobic interactions and intermolecularly hydrogen bonding interactions between the pendant ureido groups. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 2845–2854     

Order parameter studies from effective order geometry in 4O.Om and 7O.Om liquid crystalline compounds

The effective geometry parameter, α_g = n _o /n _e, is used to evaluate the orientational order parameter, S, in the case of N-(p-n-butyloxybenzylidene)-p-n-alkoxy anilines, 4O.Om and N-(p-n-heptyloxybenzylidene)-p-n-alkoxy anilines, 7O.Om compounds with m?=?3–7 and 9 in the former case and m?=?3, 5–7 and 9 in the later materials. The results obtained are compared with those calculated using the standard techniques of molecular polarisability and birefringence. The effective geometry parameter's influence on the deflection of light by the liquid crystal compounds is also studied. The variation of temperature gradient of the ordinary refractive index, dn _o /dT, and extraordinary refractive index, dn _e /dT, of the liquid crystals is also studied.     

Temperature response of aqueous solutions of pyrene end‐labeled poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide)s probed by steady‐state and time‐resolved fluorescence

Aqueous solutions of a series of monodisperse poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide)s end‐labeled with n‐butyl‐1‐pyrene at one or both chain ends (Py_n‐PNIPAMs with n = 1 or 2) were studied by turbidimetry, light scattering, and fluorescence. For a given polymer concentration and heating rate, the cloud point (T_c) of an aqueous Py_n‐PNIPAM solution, determined by turbidimetry, was found to increase with the number‐average molecular weight (M_n) of the polymer. The steady‐state fluorescence spectra and time‐resolved fluorescence decays of Py_n‐PNIPAM aqueous solutions were analyzed and all parameters retrieved from these analyses were found to be affected as the solution temperature passed through T_c, the solution cloud point, and T_m, the temperature where dehydration of PNIPAM occurred. The trends obtained by fluorescence to characterize the aqueous Py_n‐PNIPAM solutions as a function of temperature were found to be consistent with the model proposed for telechelic PNIPAM by Koga et al. in 2006. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2018 , 56, 308–318     

Self-bonding in an amorphous polymer below the glass transition: A T-peel test investigation

Films of amorphous polystyrene (PS) with a weight-average molecular weight (M_w) of 225 × 10³ g/mol were bonded in a T-peel test geometry, and the fracture energy (G) of a PS/PS interface was measured at the ambient temperature as a function of the healing time (t_h) and healing temperature (T_h). G was found to develop with (t_h)^1/2 at T_h = T_g-bulk − 33 °C (where T_g-bulk is the glass-transition temperature of the bulk sample), and log G was found to develop with 1/T_h at T_g-bulk − 43 °C ≤ T_h ≤ T_g-bulk − 23 °C. The smallest measured value of G = 1.4 J/m² was at least one order of magnitude larger than the work of adhesion required to reversibly separate the PS surfaces. These three observations indicated that the development of G at the PS/PS interface in the temperature range investigated (<T_g-bulk) was controlled by the diffusion of chain segments feasible above the glass-transition temperature of the interfacial layer, in agreement with our previous findings for fracture stress development at several polymer/polymer interfaces well below T_g-bulk. Close values of G = 8–9 J/m² were measured for the symmetric interfaces of polydisperse PS [M_w = 225 × 10³, weight-average molecular weight/number-average molecular weight (M_w/M_n) = 3] and monodisperse PS (M_w = 200 × 10³, M_w/M_n = 1.04) after healing at T_h = T_g-bulk − 33 °C for 24 h. This implies that the self-bonding of high-molecular-weight PS at such relatively low temperatures is not governed by polydispersity. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 1861–1867, 2004     

New Fluorescing Polyanhydrides Based on Aliphatic and Aromatic Diacids

A series of new polyanhydrides, [—OC(O)ArXC(O)(CH₂)_nC(O)—]_m, where Ar was (substituted) phenylene, X was O or NH and n was 2, 3 or 4, was synthesized. Polyanhydride fluoresence was observed only for those with the number of methene groups in the repeating unit (n) being 2. Copolymers based on sebacic acids and the above chromophoric units can also emit light. The relative fluorescence intensity of poly[p‐(carboxyethylformamido)benzoic‐co‐sebacic anhydride] (P(CEFB‐SA)) and PCEFB, I_P(CEFB‐SA) /I_PCEFB, increases with a decrease in the fraction of SA. However, the fluorescence intensity of poly[o‐acetyl‐p‐(carboxyethylformamido)benzoic‐co‐sebacic anhydride] (P(ACEFB‐SA)) reaches a maximum when the ACEFB content is 50%.     

Thermodynamic properties of second generation poly(phenylene-pyridyl) dendrimer

The temperature dependence of heat capacity C _p ^o = f (T) of second generation hard poly(phenylene-pyridyl) dendrimer (G2-24Py) was measured by a adiabatic vacuum calorimeter over the temperature range 6–320 K for the first time. The experimental results were used to calculate the standard thermodynamic functions: heat capacity C _p ^o (T), enthalpy H ^o(T)–H ^o(0), entropy S ^o(T)–S ^o(0) and Gibbs function G ^o(T)–H ^o(0) over the range from T → 0 K to 320 K. The standard entropy of formation at T = 298.15 K of G2-24Py was calculated. The low-temperature heat capacity was analyzed based on Debye’s heat capacity theory of solids. Fractal treatment of the heat capacity was performed and the values of the temperature characteristics and fractal dimension D were determined. Some conclusions regarding structure topology are given.     

Homologous series of alkylsilylphenyl‐substituted poly (p‐phenylenevinylene)s for light‐emitting diodes

Substituent‐induced electroluminescence polymers—poly[2‐(2‐dimethyldodecylsilylphenyl)‐1,4‐phenylenevinylene] [(o‐R₃Si)PhPPV], poly[2‐(3‐dimethyldodecylsilylphenyl)‐1,4‐phenylenevinylene] [(m‐R₃Si)PhPPV], and poly[2‐(4‐dimethyldodecylsilylphenyl)‐1,4‐phenylenevinylene] [(p‐R₃Si)PhPPV]—were synthesized according to the Gilch polymerization method. The band gap and spectroscopic data were tuned by the dimethyldodecylsilyl substituent being changed from the ortho position to the para position in the phenyl side group along the polymer backbone. The weight‐average molecular weights and polydispersities were 8.0–96 × 10⁴ and 3.0–3.4, respectively. The maximum photoluminescence wavelengths for (o‐R₃Si)PhPPV, (m‐R₃Si)PhPPV, and (p‐R₃Si)PhPPV appeared around 500–530 nm in the green emission region. Double‐layer light‐emitting diodes with an indium tin oxide/poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene)/polymer/Al configuration were fabricated with these polymers. The turn‐on voltages and the maximum brightness of (o‐R₃Si)PhPPV, (m‐R₃Si)PhPPV, and (p‐R₃Si)PhPPV were 6.5–8.7 V and 1986–5895 cd/m², respectively. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 2347–2355, 2004     

Copolymer composition-dependent light transmission of polymer/liquid crystals composite films

Electrooptic responses (voltage and angular-dependent transmittance) of polymer/liquid crystal composite films with H, V, and unpolarized lights have been studied based on a nematic liquid crystal (Ro-5921) and four types of homopolymers and copolymers from ethyl methacrylate and styrene with different compositions. In this way, the index ratio of the polymer (n_p) to the ordinary refractive index of liquid crystal (n_o)(n_p/n_o) has been varied systematically, and the effect of the index ratio on viewing angle, applied voltage, response times, and transient response have been investigated. With increasing styrene content in the copolymer, droplet size increased, threshold (V_th) and saturation (V_sat) voltage, and rise time decreased. With n_p ≲ n_o, maximum transmittance occurred at normal incidence, regardless of the type of polarization. On the contrary with n_p > n_o, V-polarization gave a peak in the transmittance-voltage curve, and transmittance overshot upon removal of the field, and these were interpreted in terms of effective refractive index and two-step relaxations. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36 : 55–64, 1998     

Polymerization of optically active disubstituted acetylene monomers by Pd catalyst bearing bulky phosphine ligand

Chloro- and aryl-substituted acetylene monomers having an optically active group were polymerized by a Pd catalyst [(^tBu₃P)PdMeCl] bearing a bulky phosphine ligand, and by MoCl₅ for comparison. The corresponding disubstituted acetylene polymers with M_n's = 2000–19,500 and 6900–10,800 were obtained in 29–83% and 11–62% yields when the Pd and Mo catalysts were used, respectively. The formation of polyacetylenes, poly[(R)- 1p ], poly[(R)- 1m ], and poly[(S)- 2p ] were confirmed by SEC and the presence of a Raman scattering peak based on the alternating double bonds of the main chain. Pd-based poly[(R)- 1m ] exhibited CD signals around 350 nm assignable to a certain secondary structure, while Mo-based poly[(R)- 1m ] did not. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55, 3011–3016     

Syntheses,structures and properties of four metal-organic frameworks from chlorophenyl imidazole dicarboxylates

Four metal-organic frameworks, [Sr(o-ClPhHIDC)(H₂O)₂]_n (o-ClPhH₃IDC = 2-(o-chlorophenyl)-1H-imidazole-4,5-dicarboxylic acid) (1), [Mg(m-ClPhHIDC)(H₂O)₂]_n (2), [Sr(m-ClPhHIDC)(H₂O)]_n (3) and {[Co₃(m-ClPhIDC)₂(H₂O)₆]·2H₂O}_n (m-ClPhH₃IDC = 2-(m-chlorophenyl)-1H-imidazole-4,5-dicarboxylic acid) (4), have been solvothermally synthesized and structurally characterized. Single-crystal X-ray analyses reveal that 1–3 show 2-D architectures and 4 exhibits a 3-D structure. The o-ClPhH₃IDC and m-ClPhH₃IDC ligands in the polymers can be partly deprotonated and coordinate to metal ions by various modes. The metal ions of 1–4 are coordinated only to oxygens. The thermal and luminescence properties of the polymers have also been investigated.     

The thermodynamic properties of 2-ethylhexyl acrylate over the temperature range from <Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis> → 0 to 350 K

The temperature dependence of the heat capacity C _p ^o= f(T) 2 of 2-ethylhexyl acrylate was studied in an adiabatic vacuum calorimeter over the temperature range 6–350 K. Measurement errors were mainly of 0.2%. Glass formation and vitreous state parameters were determined. An isothermic shell calorimeter with a static bomb was used to measure the energy of combustion of 2-ethylhexyl acrylate. The experimental data were used to calculate the standard thermodynamic functions C _p ^o(T), H ^o(T)-H ^o(0), S ^o(T)-S ^o(0), and G ^o(T)-H ^o(0) of the compound in the vitreous and liquid states over the temperature range from T → 0 to 350 K, the standard enthalpies of combustion Δ_c H ^o, and the thermodynamic characteristics of formation Δ_f H ^o, Δ_f S ^o, and Δ_f G ^o at 298.15 K and p = 0.1 MPa.     

Morphological Stable Spirobifluorene/Oxadiazole Hybrids as Bipolar Host Materials for Efficient Green and Red Electrophosphorescence

A series of 9,9′‐spirobifluorene/oxadiazole hybrids with various linkages between two components, namely SBF‐p‐OXD ( 1 ), SBF‐m‐OXD ( 2 ), and SBF‐o‐OXD ( 3 ) are designed and synthesized through Suzuki cross‐coupling reactions. The incorporation of a rigid and bulky spirobifluorene moiety greatly improves their thermal and morphological stability, with T_d (decomposition temperature) and T_g (glass transition temperature) in the ranges of 401–480 °C and 136–210 °C, respectively. 2 and 3 with meta‐ and ortho‐linkage display higher triplet energy and blue‐shifted absorption and emission than their para‐linked analogue 1 owing to the decreasing π‐conjugation between the two components. Their HOMO and LUMO energy levels depend on the linkage modes within the range of 5.57–5.64 eV and 2.33–2.49 eV, respectively. Multilayer deep red electrophosphorescent devices with 1 , 2 , 3 as hosts were fabricated and their EL efficiencies follow the order of 3 (o)> 2 (m)> 1 (p), which correlates with their triplet energy and the separation of HOMO and LUMO distributions at molecular orbitals. The maximum external quantum efficiencies of 11.7 % for green and 9.8 % for deep red phosphorescent organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) are achieved by using 2 and 3 as host materials, respectively.     

Synthesis and characterization of thermotropic liquid crystalline poly(ester imide)s

Two closely series of poly(ester imide)s had been synthesized by solution polycondensation of p‐phenylenebis(trimellitate) dianhydride with aliphatic diamines. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) traces of the most poly(ester imide)s exhibited two endotherms representing the solid state to anisotropic phase transition (T_m1) and the anisotropic to isotropic melt transition (T_m2), respectively. Observation under polarizing microscope and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD) measurements suggested that the anisotropic phase formed above the melting points (T_m1) had a smectic character. The thermogravimetric analyses (TGA) revealed that the thermal stabilities of the poly(ester imide)s were up to 350°C. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 211–218, 1999     

Synthesis and asymmetric polymerization of a series of methyl‐substituted triphenylmethyl methacrylate

Five novel ortho‐, meta‐, and para‐methyl‐substituted triphenylmethyl methacrylate monomers, such as o‐tolyldiphenylmethyl methacrylate (o‐MeTrMA), di‐o‐tolylphenylmethyl methacrylate (o‐Me₂TrMA), tris‐o‐tolylmethyl methacrylate (o‐Me₃TrMA), tris‐m‐tolylmethyl methacrylate (m‐Me₃TrMA), and tris‐p‐tolylmethyl methacrylate (p‐Me₃TrMA) have been synthesized. The methanolysis rates of these monomers were measured in CDCl₃‐CD₃OD (1:1, v/v) by ¹H NMR spectroscopy at 30 °C. It was found that the order of the methanolysis rates would be TrMA<o‐MeTrMA<o‐Me₂TrMA<o‐Me₃TrMA<m‐Me₃TrMA except p‐Me₃TrMA, which exhibited very good stability to methanolysis. The asymmetric polymerization of these monomers was investigated by chiral anionic complexes as initiators. The results showed that the ability to form a helical chain was effected not only by the types of chiral complex initiators, but also by the position and number of methyl‐substituted groups at the benzene rings of TrMA. The order of the ability of polymerization was o‐MeTrMA >o‐Me₂TrMA>o‐Me₃TrMA and m‐Me₃TrMA> p‐Me₃TrMA>o‐Me₃TrMA. These differences would be attributed to the different sizes and “propeller” steric structures of the bulky side groups. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 430–436, 2001     

Synthesis of Organoplatinum Poly(dendrimer)s: Pronounced Effect of Size and Geometry of Small Organoplatinum Linkers on the Copolymerization Efficiency with Bifunctional Dendritic Macromonomers

The copolymerizations of two series of surface functionalized bis(acetylene) G1–G3 dendrimers, one ( S ‐ Gn ) having a structural rigid skeleton and the other ( L ‐ Gn ) a relatively more flexible architecture, with two platinum linkers, cis‐[(Et₂PCH₂CH₂PEt₂)PtCl₂] ( 2 ) and [Cl(Et₃P)₂Pt‐C?C‐p‐C₆H₄‐]₂ ( 3 ) were investigated. For both series of dendrimers, only linear and/or cyclic oligomers were formed when the cis‐platinum linker 2 was used. However, high molecular weight (100–200 kD) organoplatinum poly(dendrimer)s were obtained from both series when the elongated linear rod‐liked platinum linker 3 was employed and the formation of cyclic oligomers was greatly suppressed for both the structural rigid S ‐ Gn and the structural flexible L ‐ Gn series. These results are in sharp contrast to our earlier findings (S.‐Y. Cheung, H.‐F. Chow, T. Ngai, X. Wei, Chem. Eur. J. 2009 , 15, 2278–2288) obtained by using a shorter linear platinum linker trans‐[Pt(PEt₃)₂Cl₂] ( 1 ), where a larger amount of cyclic oligomers was formed from the structural flexible L ‐ Gn dendrimers. A model was proposed to rationalize how the geometry and size of the platinum linker could control the copolymerization behaviours of these dendritic macromonomers.     

Synthesis and thermal analysis of branched and “kinked” poly(ethylene terephthalate)

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) was synthesized by self-condensation of bis-(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET). Copolymerization of BHET with ethyl, bis-3,5-(2-hydroxyethoxy) benzoate (EBHEB) and ethyl, 3-(2-hydroxyethoxy) benzoate (E3HEB) yielded copolymers that contain varying amounts of branching and kinks, respectively. Copolymers of BHET with ethyl, 4-(2-hydroxyethoxy) benzoate (E4HEB), in which only the backbone symmetry is broken but without disruption of the linearity, were also prepared for comparison. The composition of the copolymers were established from their ¹H-NMR spectra. The intrinsic viscosity of all the copolymers indicated that they were of reasonably high molecular weights. The thermal analysis of the copolymers using DSC showed that both the melting temperatures (T_m) and the percent crystallinity (as seen from the enthalpies of melting) (ΔH_m) decreased with increasing comonomer (defect concentration) content, although their glass transition temperatures (T_g) were less affected. This effect was found to be most pronounced in the case of branching, while the effects of kinks and linear disruptions, on both T_m and ΔH_m, were found to be similar. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 309–317, 1998     

Investigation on LCST behavior of a new amorphous/crystalline polymer blend: Poly(n‐methyl methacrylimide)/poly(vinylidene fluoride)

The liquid–liquid phase‐separation (LLPS) behavior of poly(n‐methyl methacrylimide)/poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PMMI/PVDF) blend was studied by using small‐angle laser light scattering (SALLS) and phase contrast microscopy (PCM). The cloud point (T_c) of PMMI/PVDF blend was obtained using SALLS at the heating rate of 1 °C min^?1 and it was found that PMMI/PVDF exhibited a low critical solution temperature (LCST) behavior similar to that of PMMA/PVDF. Moreover, T_c of PMMI/PVDF is higher than its melting temperature (T_m) and a large temperature gap between T_c and T_m exists. At the early phase‐separation stage, the apparent diffusion coefficient (D_app) and the product (2Mk) of the molecules mobility coefficient (M) and the energy gradient coefficient (k) arising from contributions of composition gradient to the energy for PMMI/PVDF (50/50 wt) blend were calculated on the basis of linearized Cahn‐Hilliard‐Cook theory. The kinetic results showed that LLPS of PMMI/PVDF blends followed the spinodal decomposition (SD) mechanism. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 46: 1923–1931, 2008     

Low-temperature heat capacity and standard entropy of PdO(cr.)

The temperature dependence of the heat capacity C _p ^o = f(T) of palladium oxide PdO(cr.) was studied for the first time in an adiabatic vacuum calorimeter in the range of 6.48–328.86 K. Standard thermodynamic functions C _p ^o(T), H ^o(T) — H ^o(0), S ^o(T), and G ^o(T) — H ^o(0) in the range of T → 0 to 330 K (key quantities in different thermodynamic calculations with the participation of palladium compounds) were calculated on the basis of the experimental data. Based on an analysis of studies on determining the thermodynamic properties of PdO(cr.), the following values of absolute entropy, standard enthalpy, and Gibbs function of the formation of palladium oxide are recommended: S ^o(298.15) = 39.58 ± 0.15 J/(K mol), Δ_f H ^o(298.15) = −112.69 ± 0.32 kJ/mol, Δ_f G ^o(298.15) = −82.68 ± 0.35 kJ/mol. The stability of Pd(OH)₂ (amorph.) with respect to PdO(cr.) was estimated.