Polymerization of 7-phenyl-2,6-dimethylquinone methide and its derivatives

7-Phenyl-, 7-chlorophenyl-,7-methylphenyl-, and 7-trifluoromethylphenylquinone methide were synthesized to investigate the anionic polymerization of quinone methide. Novel high molecular weight polymers have been prepared and the substitution effects of the monomers on polymerization kinetics were determined. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Asymmetric anionic polymerizations of 7‐(o‐substituted phenyl)‐2,6‐dimethyl‐1,4‐benzoquinone methides: Electrostatic interaction and steric,inductive, and resonance effects of the ortho‐substituent on the optical activity

7‐(o‐Substituted phenyl)‐2,6‐dimethyl‐1,4‐benzoquinone methides which have an electron‐donating methoxy‐(o‐OMe, 2a ) and methyl‐ (o‐Me, 2b ) substituents or an electron‐withdrawing cyano‐ (o‐CN, 2c ) and trifluoromethyl‐ (o‐CF₃, 2d ) substituents at the ortho‐position of the aromatic ring and 7‐(m‐substituted phenyl)‐2,6‐dimethyl‐1,4‐benzoquinone methide with an electron‐withdrawing trifluoromethyl‐ (m‐CF₃, 2e ) substituent at the meta‐position of the aromatic ring were synthesized, and their asymmetric anionic polymerizations using the complex of lithium 4‐isopropylphenoxide with (?)‐sparteine were carried out in toluene at 0 °C. The polymers with negative optical activity were obtained for all of five monomers, and their specific rotation values largely changed depending upon the substituents of the monomers. On the basis of the comparison of various substituents effects, it was found that the specific rotation of obtained polymers is significantly affected by the electronic effects such as inductive and resonance effects rather than the steric and electrostatic effects of the substituent. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55 , 1048–1058     

Asymmetric polymerization of aromatic isocyanates with optically active anionic initiators

The asymmetric anionic polymerization of o-, m-, and p-methylphenyl isocyanates, p-methoxyphenyl isocyanate, p-chlorophenyl isocyanate, 2,6- and 3,4-dimethylphenyl isocyanates, and 1-naphthyl isocyanate was carried out using chiral anionic initiators such as the lithium salts of (?) -menthol, (?) -(2-methoxymethyl) pyrrolidine, and (+) -1-(2-pyrrolidinylmethyl) pyrrolidine. Although o-methylphenyl isocyanate gave an insoluble polymer and 2,6-dimethylphenyl isocyanate afforded no polymer, the other monomers gave soluble polymers, which showed optical activity due to the prevailing helicity of the polymer chain induced by chiral initiator residues attached to the α-end of the polymer chain. The molecular mechanics conformational calculation for a tetramer of m-methylphenyl isocyanate supported the helical conformation of the main chain. The optical rotation of the polymers depended significantly on temperature. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Asymmetric anionic polymerization of maleimides bearing bulky substituents

Asymmetric anionic homopolymerizations of N‐substituted maleimide (RMI) bearing bulky substituents [R = benzyl, diphenylmethyl (DPhMI), 9‐fluorenyl (9‐FlMI), triphenylmethyl, (diphenylmethyloxycarbonyl)methyl, (9‐fluorenyloxycarbonyl)methyl] were carried out with complexes of organometal compounds (alkyllithium, diethylzinc) with six chiral ligands to obtain optically active polymers. The chiroptical properties of the polymers were affected strongly by the substituents on nitrogen in the maleimide ring, the organometal and chiral ligands. Poly(DPhMI) initiated by an n‐butyllithium/(−)‐sparteine (Sp) complex showed a positive specific rotation ([α] +60.3°). Poly(9‐FlMI) prepared with a florenyllithium/Sp complex exhibited the highest specific rotation (+65.7°). The specific rotations of the poly(RMI) obtained were attributed to different contents between the stereogenic centers (S,S) and (R,R) based on threo‐diisotactic structures of the main chain. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 310–320, 2000     

Asymmetric anionic polymerization of optically active N-1-cyclohexylethylmaleimide

Chiral (S)-(−)-N-1-cyclohexylethylmaleimide [(S)-CEMI] and (R)-(+)-N-1-cyclohexylethylmaleimide [(R)-CEMI] were synthesized successfully and then polymerized with chiral complexes of (−)-sparteine or (S,S)-(1-ethylpropylidene)bis(4-benzyl-2-oxazoline) [(S,S)-Bnbox] and organometal as initiators in toluene or tetrahydrofuran to obtain optically active polymers. The effects of the polymerization conditions on the optical activity and structure of poly(N-1-cyclohexylethylmaleimide)s were investigated with gel permeation chromatography, circular dichroism, specific rotation, and ¹³C NMR measurements. Poly[(R)-CEMI] obtained with dimethylzinc (Me₂Zn)/(S,S)-Bnbox had the highest specific rotation ([α]₄₃₅ = +323.7°). Complexes of Bnbox and diethylzinc or Me₂Zn were used very effectively as chiral initiators for the asymmetric anionic polymerization of (S)-CEMI and (R)-CEMI. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 4682–4692, 2004     

Synthesis and asymmetric anionic polymerization of substituted 7‐aryl‐2,6‐dimethyl‐1,4‐benzoquinone methides

Substituted 7‐aryl‐2,6‐dimethyl‐1,4‐benzoquinone methides which have an electron‐donating methoxy substituent at the para‐position (p‐OMe, 2a ) or an electron‐withdrawing chloro one at the para‐ (p‐Cl, 2b ), meta‐ (m‐Cl, 2c ) , and ortho‐positions (o‐Cl, 2d ) of the benzene ring were synthesized, and their asymmetric anionic polymerizations using the complex of lithium 4‐isopropylphenoxide with (?)‐sparteine were carried out in toluene at 0 °C. The polymers with negative specific rotation were obtained for all of four monomers, and the polymer obtained from 2a showed smaller specific rotation value than that of polymer having no substituent (p‐H, 1 ) on the phenyl group and the polymers obtained from 2b–d showed larger ones. It was found that the kind of a substituent and its substitution position on the phenyl group affect significantly the optical activity of polymers. The largest specific rotation value of [α]₄₃₅= ?153.2° was obtained in the polymerization of 2d with an ortho‐chloro substituent. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015 , 53, 437–444     

Asymmetric anionic polymerizations of 7‐cyano‐7‐alkoxycarbonyl‐1,4‐benzoquinone methides

Asymmetric anionic polymerizations of 7‐cyano‐7‐alkoxycarbonyl‐1,4‐benzoquinone methides ( 1 ) with various alkoxy groups were performed using chiral initiators such as lithium isopropylphenoxide (ⁱPrPhOLi)/(S)‐(–)‐2,2′‐isopropylidene‐bis(4‐phenyl‐2‐oxazoline) ((–)‐PhBox) and lithium isopropylphenoxide (ⁱPrPhOLi)/(–)‐sparteine ((–)‐Sp) to investigate the effect of the alkoxy groups of alkoxycarbonyl substituent in the monomers 1 and chiral ligands of chiral initiators on the control of chiral center in the formation of polymers. Molar optical rotation values of the polymers were significantly dependent upon alkoxy groups, and the polymers with higher molar optical rotation were obtained in monomers with primary alkoxy groups. The asymmetric anionic oligomerizations of the quinone methides having methoxy( 1a ), ethoxy( 1b ), and n‐propoxy( 1c ) groups with chiral initiators were carried out. Both 1‐mers and 2‐mers were isolated and their optical resolutions were performed to determine the extent of stereocontrol. High stereoselectivity was observed at the propagation reaction, but not at the initiation reaction. The effect of the counterion on the control of chiral center in the formation of the polymer was investigated in the asymmetric anionic polymerizations of 1b with ⁱPrPhOM(M = Li, Na, K)/(–)‐Sp and ⁱPrPhOM(M = Li, Na, K)/(–)‐PhBox initiators and discussed. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Synthesis and polymerization of 7,7-bis(alkoxycarbonyl)-1,4-benzoquinone methides

7,7-Bis(methoxycarbonyl)-, 7,7-bis(ethoxycarbonyl)-, and 7,7-bis(isopropoxycarbonyl)-1,4-benzoquinone methides ( 4a, 4b , and 4c ) were successfully prepared as pure, isolable yellow-orange needles. The values of the first reduction potential for 4a, 4b , and 4c were measured in dichloromethane containing tetrabutylammonium perchlorate by cyclic voltammetry to be −0.54, −0.55, and −0.55 V, respectively, indicating that the alkyl groups do not significantly affect their electron-accepting properties. An anionic initiator butyllithium induced the homopolymerizations of 4a–c at 0°C, but a cationic initiator boron trifluoride etherate did not of 4a–c at 0°C. Compounds 4a and 4b homopolymerized with a radical initiator 2,2′-azobis(isobutyronitrile) (AIBN), but 4c did not, probably due to a larger steric hindrance effect of the isopropyl group compared with methyl and ethyl groups. Homopolymerizable compound 4a copolymerized with styrene in benzene in the presence of AIBN in a random fashion to give the monomer reactivity ratios r₁ ( 4a ) = 2.40 ± 0.40 and r₂ (styrene) = 0.01 ± 0.02 at 60°C and the Q and e values of 4a were 21.2 and +1.13, respectively, indicating that 4a is a highly conjugative and electron-accepting monomer, while the nonhomopolymerizable compound 4c copolymerized with styrene in a perfectly alternating fashion in benzene in the presence of AIBN at 60°C. No copolymerizations of 4a or 4c with 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane took place in dichloromethane in the presence of AIBN at 60°C. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Asymmetric anionic polymerization of (2-fluorophenyl)(4-fluorophenyl)(2-pyridyl)methyl methacrylate leading to a helical polymer

A novel racemic methacrylate, (2-fluorophenyl)(4-fluorophenyl)(2-pyridyl)-methyl methacrylate¹ (2F4F2PyMA), was synthesized and polymerized with chiral complexes of N,N′-diphenylethylenediamine monolithium amide (DPEDA-Li) with (−)-sparteine (Sp), (2S, 3S)-(+)-2,3-dimethoxy-1,4-bis(dimethylamino)butane (DDB), and (S)-(+)-1-(2-pyrrolidinylmethyl)pyrrolidine (PMP) in toluene at −78°C. The monomer showed higher resistance against methanolysis compared with triphenylmethyl methacrylate (TrMA) and several other analogues. In the asymmetric anionic polymerization of 2F4F2PyMA, PMP was found to be a more effective chiral ligand than DDB and Sp and gave quantitatively an optically active polymer with nearly perfect isotacticity. Enantiomer selection was observed in the polymerization of racemic 2F4F2PyMA with the chiral lithium complexes. Chiral recognition ability of the optically active poly(2F4F2PyMA) was examined by an enantioselective adsorption experiment. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 2013–2019, 1998     

Asymmetric anionic polymerization of N‐1‐naphthylmaleimide with chiral ligand‐organometal complexes in toluene

Asymmetric anionic homopolymerizations of N‐1‐naphthylmaleimide (1‐NMI) were performed with chiral ligand/organometal complexes to form optically active polymers. Poly(1‐NMI)s obtained with methylene‐bridged bisoxazoline derivatives (Rbox)‐diethylzinc (Et₂Zn) complexes showed high specific optical rotations ([α]) from +152.3 to +191.4°. Circular dichroism spectra of the polymers exhibited a split Cotton effect in the UV absorption‐band region. According to the exciton chirality method, the absolute configuration of the polymer main chain was determined according to the following method: (+)‐poly[N‐substituted maleimides (RMI)] main chains can contain more (S,S)‐ than (R,R)‐configurations. (?)‐Poly(RMI) main chains can contain more (R,R)‐ than (S,S)‐configurations. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 39: 3556–3565, 2001     

Effects of cosolvents on helical substituted polyacetylene particles prepared through suspension polymerization

Acetylenic monomers undergo aqueous suspension polymerization providing particles constructed by helical substituted polyacetylene. Different from suspension polymerization of vinyl monomers, a cosolvent is indispensable to dissolve Rh catalyst and solid acetylenic monomers. The cosolvent is found to play essential roles in monomers' polymerization and the particles' formation. To systemically explore the effects of cosolvents, three monomers, M1 (achiral, liquid), M2 (achiral, solid), and M3 (chiral, solid), and six cosolvents (divided into two groups by their miscibility with water) are used for performing suspension polymerization in aqueous media at 30 °C, with Rh⁺B^– (C₆H₅)₄ as catalyst and polyvinylpyrrolidone as stabilizer. FTIR spectra and gel permeation chromatography confirm the occurrence of polymerization. Raman spectra demonstrate the high cis contents of the polymer chains. Scanning electron microscope images show that the polymer particles obtained under optimal conditions are in spherical morphology. Circular dichroism and UV‐vis spectroscopy demonstrate the helical structures of the polymer chains forming the chiral particles. Dynamic light scattering characterization is carried out to characterize the nanoparticles. The type and amount of the cosolvent affect the polymerization remarkably. Cosolvents with higher polarity lead to smaller polymer particles, while lower polar cosolvents provide larger ones. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55, 2670–2678     

Asymmetric polymerization of N-vinylcarbazole with optically active anionic initiators

The anionic polymerization of N-vinylcarbazole(NVC) by using optically active anionic initiators such as the lithium salts of(S)-1-(9H-fluoren-2-yl)-4-isopropyl-4,5-dihydrooxazole((S)-1-FIDH) and(S)-2-(9H-fluoren-2-yl)-4-isopropyl-4,5-dihydrooxazole((S)-2-FIDH) and complexes of(-)-Sparteine with n-butylithium(n-Bu Li-(-)-Sp) or fluorenyl lithium(FILi-(-)-Sp) was achieved. The yield and specific rotation of poly(N-vinylcarbazole)s(poly(NVC)s) were considerably affected by the molar ratio of(S)-FIDH to NVC. The highest yield and specific rotation were obtained with Li-(S)-1-FIDH as an initiator, with a molar ratio of monomer and initiator [M]/[I] = 10/1. The effects of the chiral initiators, type of solvent and the polymerization temperature were investigated. The obtained optical activity of polymers was attributed to asymmetric induction of the chiral initiators.     

苯乙烯阴离子本体聚合引发剂缔合及其机理的研究

分别以正丁基锂和叔丁基锂为引发剂,采用自制管式流动反应装置,对较高温度下苯乙烯阴离子本体聚合动力学进行了研究.证实了正丁基锂主要以六元缔合结构形式引发聚合,并导致超分子团聚体的形成,从而使进一步的聚合因单体扩散受阻而受到限制,并伴随聚合转化率停滞平台（SCP）的产生.随后由于前期聚合累积的能量,使超分子结构完全解离.聚合温度越高,SCP持续时间越短.结果还表明,在正丁基锂引发剂中,存在一个以六元缔合结构为基础形成的更大的缔合体结构.原子力显微镜照片显示,超分子结构的直径分别为20～30nm和50～60nm.此外,在阴离子聚合过程中活性种的缔合结构只决定于初始引发剂的分子结构,而不同活性种缔合结构对阴离子聚合的链增长存在很大影响,从而解释了采用不同结构的锂系引发剂引发苯乙烯单体聚合时聚合速率存在巨大差异的原因.     

Asymmetric radical polymerization and copolymerization of N‐(1‐phenyldibenzosuberyl)methacrylamide and its derivative leading to optically active helical polymers

N‐(1‐Phenyldibenzosuberyl)methacrylamide (PDBSMAM) and its derivative N‐[(4‐butylphenyl)dibenzosuberyl]methacrylamide (BuPDBSMAM) were synthesized and polymerized in the presence of (+)‐ and (?)‐menthols at different temperatures. The tacticity of the polymers was estimated to be nearly 100% isotactic from the ¹H NMR spectra of polymethacrylamides derived in D₂SO₄. Poly(PDBSMAM) was not soluble in the common organic solvents, and its circular dichroism spectrum in the solid state was similar to that of the optically active poly(1‐phenyldibenzosuberyl methacrylate) (poly(PDBSMA)) with a prevailing one‐handed helicity, indicating that the poly(PDBSMAM) also has a similar helicity. Poly(BuPDBSMAM) was optically active and soluble in THF and chloroform. Its optical activity was much higher than that of the poly[N‐(triphenylmethayl)methacrylamide], suggesting that one‐handed helicity may be more efficiently induced on the poly(BuPDBSMAM). The copolymerization of BuPDBSMAM with a small amount of optically active N‐[(R)‐(+)‐1‐(1‐naphthyl)ethyl]methacrylamide, particularly in the presence of (?)‐menthol, produced a polymer with a high optical activity. The prevailing helicity may also be efficiently induced. The chiroptical properties of the obtained polymers were studied in detail. The chiral recognition by the polymers was also evaluated. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 1304–1315, 2007     

Mechanism of anionic polymerization of phenylacetylene

Anionic polymerization of phenylacetylene in the presence of butyllithium has been studied. It was shown that the process of polymerization is accompanied by the appearance and growth of the ESR signal with pronounced superfine structure. The model of polymerization was suggested according to which formation of low molecular polyphenylacetylene is caused the destruction of the active centers by means of electron transfer from the active center to the conjugated chain. This type of electron transfer may also be the fundamental reaction limiting the chain length in cationic polymerization of acetylene monomers. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Coordinate anionic ring-opening polymerization of oxetanes with aluminum benzyl alcoholate bis(2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenolate)

Aluminum benzyl alcoholate bis(2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenolate) (BnOAD), which was prepared through the mixing of equimolar amounts of benzyl alcohol and methylaluminum bis(2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenolate) (MAD), successfully polymerized four-membered cyclic ethers in a coordinate anionic ring-opening manner. The polymerization of 3-(4-bromobutoxymethyl)-3-methyloxetane (OxBr) with 5 mol % BnOAD proceeded slowly in toluene at 25 °C and produced sufficiently high-molecular-weight poly(OxBr) in a moderate yield in 24 h. The polymerization was greatly accelerated by the addition of a sterically hindered Lewis acid such as MAD, and this resulted in a nearly quantitative polymer yield within 24 h. In sharp contrast, conventional cationic polymerization with boron trifluoride etherate as a typical Lewis acid initiator produced low-molecular-weight poly(OxBr) along with a substantial amount of the cyclic tetramer. The polymerization of the simplest unsubstituted oxetane with BnOAD resulted in failure. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 4570–4579, 2004     

Asymmetric polymerization of the mixture of TrMA and MMA initiated by chiral complexes

A mixture of triphenylmethyl methacrylate (TrMA) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) was polymerized with chiral anionic initiator, such as fluorenyl lithium(−)-sparteine [FlLi-(−)-Sp] and fluorenyl lithium-(+)-2S,3S-dimethoxy-1,4-bis(dimethylamino)butane [FlLi-(+)-DDB] in toluene at −78°C. The results show that after the stable helix formed, when FlLi-(+)-DDB was used as the initiator, TrMA and MMA could be copolymerized, whereas when FlLi-(−)-Sp was used, the two monomers tended to be selectively polymerized into two polymers. This phenomenon has been explained by the existence of helix-selective polymerization. © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 1925–1931, 1997     

Preparation and characterization of optically active polystyrene via a chiral nitroxide‐mediated polymerization

2,2,6,6‐Tetramethyl‐4‐[d‐(+)‐10‐camphorsulfonyl]‐1‐piperidinyloxy was synthesized and used as a chiral nitroxide for the bulk polymerizations of styrene initiated with benzoyl peroxide (BPO), tetraethylthiuram disulfide (TETD), and thermal initiation. The results showed that the polymerizations proceeded in a controlled/living way; that is, the kinetics presented approximately first‐order plots, and the number‐average molecular weights of the polymers with narrow molecular weight distributions (weight‐average molecular weight/number‐average molecular weight) increased with the monomer conversion linearly. The molecular weight distributions in the case of thermal initiation were narrower than those in the case of BPO and TETD, whereas the polymerization rate with BPO or TETD as an initiator was obviously faster than that with thermal initiation. In addition, successful chain‐extension reactions were carried out, and the structures of the obtained polymers were characterized by gel permeation chromatography and ¹H NMR. The specific rotations of the polymers were also measured by polarimetric analysis. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 1522–1528, 2006