Bis(salicylaldiminate)copper(II)/methylaluminoxane catalysts for homo‐ and copolymerizations of ethylene and methyl methacrylate

Bis(salicylaldiminate)copper(II) complexes, when activated with methylaluminoxane, catalyzed the homo‐ and copolymerizations of ethylene and methyl methacrylate (MMA). The activity in the MMA homopolymerization was influenced by the electronic and steric characteristics of the Cu(II) precursors as well as the cocatalyst concentration. The same systems revealed modest activity also in the homopolymerization of ethylene, giving a highly linear polyethylene, and in its copolymerization with MMA. These copolymers exhibited a very high content of polar groups (MMA units > 70 mol %) and were characterized by a high molecular weight and polydispersity. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 1134–1142, 2007     

Ethylene polymerization by novel Ziegler–Natta‐type catalysts obtained in situ by the oxidative addition of 8‐hydroxyquinoline‐based ligands to bis(1,5‐cyclooctadiene)nickel(0) and methylaluminoxane

Novel catalytic systems, prepared in situ by the oxidative addition of 8‐hydroxyquinoline ligands to bis(1,5‐cyclooctadiene)nickel(0) and activated by methylaluminoxane, were studied in ethylene polymerization. When 8‐hydroxyquinoline was employed, only oligomeric products were obtained. On the contrary, 5,7‐dinitro‐8‐hydroxyquinoline gave linear polyethylene (PE), but with a modest activity. For the catalyst based on 5‐nitro‐8‐hydroxyquinoline, the productivity was largely dependent on the content of free trimethylaluminum (TMA) present in the commercial aluminoxane. The progressive optimization of the TMA/oligomeric methylaluminoxane ratio increased the productivity, which reached 700 kg of PE/(mol of Ni × h), by an order of magnitude. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 200–206, 2006     

Homopolymerization of methyl methacrylate by novel salicylaldiminate‐nickel/methylaluminoxane catalysts obtained by oxidative addition of the chelate ligand to a nickel(0) precursor

Salicylaldimine ligands, such as 5‐nitro‐N(2,6‐diisopropylphenyl)salicylaldimine, 3,5‐dinitro‐N(2,6‐diisopropylphenyl)salicylaldimine, and 3‐phenyl‐N(2,6‐diisopropylphenyl) salicylaldimine were checked in the oxidative addition to bis(1,5‐cyclooctadiene)nickel(0) to prepare, after activation by methylaluminoxane (MAO), novel nickel‐based catalytic systems active in the polymerization of methyl methacrylate. The catalytic behavior of the aforementioned systems, in terms of activity, molecular weight, and polydispersity of the resulting poly(methyl methacrylate) as well as its stereoregularity degree, was investigated as a function of the Al/Ni molar ratio, reaction temperature, and nature of the salicylaldimine ligand. The effect of ethylene atmosphere present during the preparation of the catalyst precursors was also investigated. The results are discussed and compared with those previously obtained by bis(salicylaldiminate)nickel(II)/MAO catalytic systems. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 1716–1724, 2003     

Emulsion atom transfer radical block copolymerization of 2‐ethylhexyl methacrylate and methyl methacrylate

The emulsion atom transfer radical block copolymerization of 2‐ethylhexyl methacrylate (EHMA) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) was carried out with the bifunctional initiator 1,4‐butylene glycol di(2‐bromoisobutyrate). The system was mediated by copper bromide/4,4′‐dinonyl‐2,2′‐bipyridyl and stabilized by polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate. The effects of the initiator concentration and temperature profile on the polymerization kinetics and latex stability were systematically examined. Both EHMA homopolymerization and successive copolymerization with MMA proceeded in a living manner and gave good control over the polymer molecular weights. The polymer molecular weights increased linearly with the monomer conversion with polydispersities lower than 1.2. A low‐temperature prepolymerization step was found to be helpful in stabilizing the latex systems, whereas further polymerization at an elevated temperature ensured high conversion rates. The EHMA polymers were effective as macroinitiators for initiating the block polymerization of MMA. Triblock poly(methyl methacrylate–2‐ethylhexyl methacrylate–methyl methacrylate) samples with various block lengths were synthesized. The MMA and EHMA reactivity ratios determined by a nonlinear least‐square method were ～0.903 and ～0.930, respectively, at 70 °C. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 1914–1925, 2006     

Vinyl polymerization of norbornene by bis(nitro‐substituted‐salicylaldiminate)nickel(II)/methylaluminoxane catalysts

The polymerization of norbornene has been investigated in the presence of different bis(salicylaldiminate)nickel(II) precursors activated by methylaluminoxane. These systems are highly active in affording nonstereoregular vinyl‐type polynorbornenes (PNBs) with high molecular weights. The productivity of the catalytic systems is strongly enhanced (up to 35,000 kg of PNB/mol of Ni × h) when electron‐withdrawing nitro groups are introduced on the phenol moiety. On the contrary, the presence of bulky alkyl groups on the N‐aryl moiety of the ligand does not substantially affect the activity or characteristics of the resulting PNBs. The catalytic performances are also markedly influenced by the reaction parameters, such as the nature of the solvent, the reaction time, and the monomer/Ni and Al/Ni molar ratios. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 1514–1521, 2006     

Synthesis and characterization of poly(methyl methacrylate)‐block‐poly(methylphenylsilane)‐ block‐poly(methyl methacrylate) by atom transfer radical polymerization

ABA block copolymers of methyl methacrylate and methylphenylsilane were synthesized with a methodology based on atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The reaction of samples of α,ω‐dihalopoly(methylphenylsilane) with 2‐hydroxyethyl‐2‐methyl‐2‐bromoproprionate gave suitable macroinitiators for the ATRP of methyl methacrylate. The latter procedure was carried out at 95 °C in a xylene solution with CuBr and 2,2‐bipyridine as the initiating system. The rate of the polymerization was first‐order with respect to monomer conversion. The block copolymers were characterized with ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy and size exclusion chromatography, and differential scanning calorimetry was used to obtain preliminary evidence of phase separation in the copolymer products. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 30–40, 2003     

Highly active methyl methacrylate polymerization catalysts obtained from bis(3,5‐dinitro‐salicylaldiminate)nickel(II) complexes and methylaluminoxane

The homopolymerization of methyl methacrylate was investigated with bis(salicylaldiminate)nickel(II) complexes, such as bis[3,5‐dinitro‐N(2,6‐diisopropylphenyl)salicylaldiminate]nickel(II) ( IIIa ) and bis[3,5‐dinitro‐N(phenyl)salicylaldiminate]nickel(II) ( IIIb ), and with methylaluminoxane (MAO) as an activator. In particular, the effect of the Al/Ni molar ratio on the catalytic activity and on the properties of the resulting poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) was checked. The maximum activity was ascertained when an Al/Ni molar ratio equal to about 100 was used. However, the productivity of the catalytic systems was rather low. When the IIIa /MAO catalytic system was prepared under an ethylene atmosphere, an extremely high activity was observed, a productivity value of up to around 150,000 g of PMMA/(mol of Ni × h) being obtained, the highest ever found with nickel‐based catalysts. No appreciable presence of ethylene counits in the polymeric products was also ascertained. When the IIIb /MAO system was used, similar results were found, and high molecular weight PMMAs were obtained, despite the absence of bulky isopropyl substituents in positions ortho and ortho′ to the N‐aryl moiety of the salicylaldiminate ligand. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 2117–2124, 2003     

Introduction of reactive functionality by the incorporation of divinylbiphenyl in ethylene copolymerization with styrene or 1‐hexene using aryloxo‐modified half‐titanocenes and MAO catalysts

An efficient introduction of vinyl group into poly (ethylene‐co‐styrene) or poly(ethylene‐co?1‐hexene) has been achieved by the incorporation of 3,3′‐divinylbiphenyl (DVBP) in terpolymerization of ethylene, styrene, or 1‐hexene with DVBP using aryloxo‐modified half‐titanocenes, Cp′TiCl₂(O?2,6‐ⁱPr₂C₆H₃) [Cp′ = Cp*, ^tBuC₅H₄, 1,2,4‐Me₃C₅H₂], in the presence of MAO cocatalyst, affording high‐molecular‐weight polymers with unimodal distributions. Efficient comonomer incorporations have been achieved by these catalysts, and the content of each comonomer could be varied by its initial concentration charged. The postpolymerization of styrene was initiated from the vinyl group remained in the side chain by treatment with n‐BuLi. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 2581–2587     

Styrene polymerization by ziegler-natta catalysts based on bis(salicylaldiminate)nickel(II) complexes and methyl aluminoxane

The homopolymerization of styrene by using different catalytic systems based on bis(salicylaldiminate)nickel(II) and methylaluminoxane was investigated. In particular, the effect on catalyst activity and polymer characteristics by electron withdrawing groups located on the phenolic moiety was studied. The influence of the bulkiness of the substituents on the N-aldimine ligand was also ascertained. Finally the catalytic performances were investigated as a function of the main reaction parameters, such as temperature, Al/Ni molar ratio and duration.     

Multicenter nature of titanium‐based Ziegler–Natta catalysts: Comparison of ethylene and propylene polymerization reactions

This article discusses the similarities and differences between active centers in propylene and ethylene polymerization reactions over the same Ti‐based catalysts. These correlations were examined by comparing the polymerization kinetics of both monomers over two different Ti‐based catalyst systems, δ‐TiCl₃‐AlEt₃ and TiCl₄/DBP/MgCl₂‐AlEt₃/PhSi(OEt)₃, by comparing the molecular weight distributions of respective polymers, in consecutive ethylene/propylene and propylene/ethylene homopolymerization reactions, and by examining the IR spectra of “impact‐resistant” polypropylene (a mixture of isotactic polypropylene and an ethylene/propylene copolymer). The results of these experiments indicated that Ti‐based catalysts contain two families of active centers. The centers of the first family, which are relatively unstable kinetically, are capable of polymerizing and copolymerizing all olefins. This family includes from four to six populations of centers that differ in their stereospecificity, average molecular weights of polymer molecules they produce, and in the values of reactivity ratios in olefin copolymerization reactions. The centers of the second family (two populations of centers) efficiently polymerize only ethylene. They do not homopolymerize α‐olefins and, if used in ethylene/α‐olefin copolymerization reactions, incorporate α‐olefin molecules very poorly. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 1745–1758, 2003     

Synthesis,characterization, and ethylene (Co)polymerization behavior of trichlorotitanium 2‐(1‐(arylimino)propyl)quinolin‐8‐olates

A series of trichlorotitanium complexes containing 2‐(1‐(arylimino)propyl)quinolin‐8‐olates was synthesized by stoichiometric reaction of titanium tetrachloride with the corresponding potassium 2‐(1‐(arylimino)propyl)quinolin‐8‐olates and was fully characterized by elemental analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction study of representative complexes. All titanium complexes, when activated with methylaluminoxane, exhibited high catalytic activity toward ethylene polymerization [up to 1.15 × 10⁶ g mol^?1(Ti) h^?1] and ethylene/α‐olefin copolymerization [up to 1.54 × 10⁶ g mol^?1 (Ti) h^?1]. The incorporation of comonomer was confirmed to amount up to 2.82 mol % of 1‐hexene or 1.94 mol % of 1‐octene, respectively. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Thermosensitive behavior of poly(ethylene glycol)/poly(2‐(N,N‐dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) double hydrophilic block copolymers

The poly(ethylene glycol)/poly(2‐(N,N‐dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PEG/PDMAEMA) double hydrophilic block copolymers were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization using mPEG‐Br or Br‐PEG‐Br as macroinitiators. The narrow molecular weight distribution of PEG/PDMAEMA block copolymers was identified by gel permeation chromatography results. The thermosensitivity of PEG/PDMAEMA block copolymers in aqueous solution was revealed to depend significantly on pH, ionic strength, chain structure, and concentration of the block copolymers. By optimizing these factors, the cloud point temperature of PEG/PDMAEMA block copolymers can be limited within body temperature range (30–37 °C), which suggests that PEG/PDMAEMA block copolymers could be a good candidate for drug delivery systems. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48: 503–508, 2010     

Efficient ethylene/norbornene copolymerization by half‐titanocenes containing imidazolin‐2‐iminato ligands and MAO catalyst systems

Ethylene copolymerizations with norbornene (NBE) using half‐titanocenes containing imidazolin‐2‐iminato ligands, Cp′TiCl₂[1,3‐R₂(CHN)₂C?N] [Cp′ = Cp ( 1 ), ^tBuC₅H₄ ( 2 ); R = ^tBu ( a ), 2,6‐ⁱPr₂C₆H₃ ( b )], have been explored in the presence of methylaluminoxane (MAO) cocatalyst. Complex 1a exhibited remarkable catalytic activity with better NBE incorporation, affording high‐molecular‐weight copolymers with uniform molecular weight distributions, whereas the tert‐BuC₅H₄ analog ( 2a ) showed low activity, and the resultant polymer prepared by the Cp‐2,6‐diisopropylphenyl analog ( 1b ) possessed broad molecular weight distribution. The microstructure analysis of the poly(ethylene‐co‐NBE)s prepared by 1a suggests the formation of random copolymers including two and three NBE repeating units. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 2575–2580     

Nitroxide‐mediated radical copolymerization of methyl methacrylate controlled with a minimal amount of 9‐(4‐vinylbenzyl)‐9H‐carbazole

The controlled nitroxide‐mediated homopolymerization of 9‐(4‐vinylbenzyl)‐9H‐carbazole (VBK) and the copolymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) with varying amounts of VBK were accomplished by using 10 mol % {tert‐butyl[1‐(diethoxyphosphoryl)‐2,2‐dimethylpropyl]amino} nitroxide relative to 2‐({tert‐butyl[1‐(diethoxyphosphoryl)‐2,2‐dimethylpropyl]amino}oxy)‐2‐methylpropionic acid (BlocBuilder?) in dimethylformamide at temperatures from 80 to 125 °C. As little as 1 mol % of VBK in the feed was required to obtain a controlled copolymerization of an MMA/VBK mixture, resulting in a linear increase in molecular weight versus conversion with a narrow molecular weight distribution (M_w /M_n ≈ 1.3). Preferential incorporation of VBK into the copolymer was indicated by the MMA/VBK reactivity ratios determined: r_VBK = 2.7 ± 1.5 and r_MMA = 0.24 ± 0.14. The copolymers were found significantly “living” by performing subsequent chain extensions with a fresh batch of VBK and by ³¹P NMR spectroscopy analysis. VBK was found to be an effective controlling comonomer for NMP of MMA, and such low levels of VBK comonomer ensured transparency in the final copolymer. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Luminescent polymeric ruthenium complexes with polystyrene‐b‐poly(methyl methacrylate) macroligands: The sequential activation of initiator sites for blocks generated by parallel polymerization mechanisms

The synthesis of polystyrene‐b‐poly(methyl methacrylate) diblock copolymers with a luminescent ruthenium(II) tris(bipyridine) [Ru(bpy)₃] complex at the block junction is described. The macroligand precursor, polystyrene bipyridine‐poly(methyl methacrylate) [bpy(PS–H)(PMMA)], was synthesized via the atom transfer radical polymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate from two independent, sequentially activated initiating sites. Both polymerization steps resulted in the growth of blocks with sizes consistent with monomer loading and narrow molecular weight distributions (i.e., polydispersity index < 1.3). Subsequent reactions with ruthenium(II) bis(bipyridine) dichloride [Ru(bpy)₂Cl₂] in the presence of Ag⁺ generated the ruthenium tris(bipyridine)‐centered diblock, which is of interest for the imaging of block copolymer microstructures and for incorporation into new photonic materials. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 4250–4255, 2002     

Compatibilizing effect of a graft copolymer on bacterial poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate)/poly(methyl methacrylate) blends

Blends of isotactic (natural) poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) are partially miscible, and PHB in excess of 20 wt % segregates as a partially crystalline pure phase. Copolymers containing atactic PHB chains grafted onto a PMMA backbone are used to compatibilize phase‐separated PHB/PMMA blends. Two poly(methyl methacrylate‐g‐hydroxybutyrate) [P(MMA‐g‐HB)] copolymers with different grafting densities and the same length of the grafted chain have been investigated. The copolymer with higher grafting density, containing 67 mol % hydroxybutyrate units, has a beneficial effect on the mechanical properties of PHB/PMMA blends with 30–50% PHB content, which show a remarkable increase in ductility. The main effect of copolymer addition is the inhibition of PHB crystallization. No compatibilizing effect on PHB/PMMA blends with PHB contents higher than 50% is observed with various amounts of P(MMA‐g‐HB) copolymer. In these blends, the graft copolymer is not able to prevent PHB crystallization, and the ternary PHB/PMMA/P(MMA‐g‐HB) blends remain crystalline and brittle. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 1390–1399, 2002     

Synthesis and Dispersion Characteristics of Multi‐Walled Carbon Nanotube Composites with Poly(methyl methacrylate) Prepared by In‐Situ Bulk Polymerization

Multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) purified by acidic solution were processed with PMMA via an in‐situ polymerization. Experimental evidences indicate the role of radical initiator (AIBN) and MWNT, showing increases of polymerization rate and MWNT diameter. Induced radicals on the MWNT by AIBN were found to trigger the grafting of PMMA. Moreover, the solvent cast film showed a better nanoscopic dispersion of MWNT and possibilities of CNT composites in engineering applications.

Fractured surface of multi‐walled carbon nanotube composite with PMMA prepared by in‐situ bulk polymerization.     

Molybdenum tetracarbonyl complexes with linear chain polyether‐containing Schiff base ligands and their reactivity in the polymerization of methyl methacrylate

Mo(CO)₆ was reacted with the Schiff base ligand obtained by condensation reaction of 2‐acetyl‐ or benzoylpyridine with poly(propylene glycol)bis(2‐aminopropyl ether) to obtain polymeric, dinuclear metal tetracarbonyl compounds. The long‐chain Schiff base complexes are highly soluble even in non‐polar solvents such as petroleum ether, diethyl ether and n‐hexane. These complexes, as free‐radical initiators, afforded methyl methacrylate polymerization in chlorinated solvents. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Iron halide mediated atom transfer radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate with N‐alkyl‐2‐pyridylmethanimine as the ligand

The controlled atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of methyl methacrylate (MMA) catalyzed by iron halide/N‐(n‐hexyl)‐2‐pyridylmethanimine (NHPMI) is described. The ethyl 2‐bromoisobutyrate (EBIB)‐initiated ATRP with [MMA]₀/[EBIB]₀/[iron halide]₀/[NHPMI]₀ = 150/1/1/2 was better controlled in 2‐butanone than in p‐xylene at 90 °C. Initially added iron(III) halide improved the controllability of the reactions in terms of molecular weight control. The p‐toluenesulfonyl chloride (TsC1)‐initiated ATRP were uncontrolled with [MMA]₀/[TsC1]₀/[iron halide]₀/[NHPMI]₀ = 150/1/1/2 in 2‐butanone at 90 °C. In contrast to the EBIB‐initiated system, the initially added iron(III) halide greatly decreased the controllability of the TsC1‐initiated ATRP. The ration of iron halide to NHPMI significantly influenced the controllability of both EBIB and TsC1‐initiated ATRP systems. The ATRP with [MMA]₀/[initiator]₀/[iron halide]₀/[NHPMI]₀ = 150/1//1/2 provided polymers with PDIs ≥ 1.57, whereas those with [iron halide]₀/[NHPMI]₀ = 1 resulted in polymers with PDIs as low as 1.35. Moreover, polymers with PDIs of approximately 1.25 were obtained after their precipitation from acidified methanol. The high functionality of the halide end group in the obtained polymer was confirmed by both ¹H NMR and a chain‐extenstion reaction. Cyclic voltammetry was utilized to explain the differing catalytic behaviors of the in situ‐formed complexes by iron halide and NHPMI with different molar ratios. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 4882–4894, 2004     

Synthesis and photophysical characterization of the free‐radical copolymerization of metaloquinolate‐pendant monomers with methyl methacrylate

A series of novel metaloquinolate [aluminum quinolate (Alq₃), zinc quinolate (Znq₂), and lithium quinolate (Liq)]‐containing copolymers were prepared. This is the first report of the synthesis of metaloquinolate‐containing polymers by free‐radical copolymerization. The structures of the metaloquinolate monomers and copolymers were characterized by ¹H NMR and Fourier transform infrared techniques. The differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis results showed that the copolymers were more thermally stable than the methyl methacrylate homopolymer. The copolymers (<25 wt % Alq₃, <20 wt % Znq₂, or <15 wt % Liq) could be dissolved in common solvents without crosslinking. The ultraviolet–visible absorption and photoluminescence (PL) emission properties of the copolymers were consistent with the literature data of metaloquinolate complexes. The PL efficiencies of the metaloquinolate‐containing copolymers with 25 wt % Alq₃, 20 wt % Znq₂, or 15 wt % Liq were 19.89, 13.24, and 11.82%, respectively. The experimental results indicated that these kinds of materials could be used for practical applications in organic light‐emitting diodes. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 397–406, 2005