Copolymerization of divinyl monomers with maleic and fumaric acid derivatives

The process of formation of reticular copolymer molecular structures produced in free radical copolymerization of divinyl monomers (divinyl ethers of diethylene glycol and hydroquinone, divinyl sulfide, p-divinylbenzene, etc.) with maleic and fumaric acid derivatives is studied. The basic factor that determines the features of molecular and network structures of copolymers is reactivity of the divinyl monomer in copolymerization with monovinyl monomer. The network of copolymers of maleic anhydride with the divinyl ether of hydroquinone is formed out of oligomer microgels. Divinyl sulfide in copolymerization with maleic acid is disposed to cyclocopolymerization; also crosslinking reactions occur. Formation of a network structure of copolymers of divinylbenzene with maleic and fumaric acid derivatives is shown to proceed via an alternating copolymerization mechanism. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36 : 371–378, 1998     

Studies in Cyclocopolymerization. X. Cyclocopolymerization of Tetrahydronaphthoquinone and Dimethyl Tetrahydronaphthoquinone with Divinyl Ether

Abstract

Tetrahydronaphthoquinone (THNQ) and dimethyl tetrahydronaphthoquinone (DMTHNQ) were found by UV spectroscopy to form donor-acceptor complexes with divinyl ether (DVE), the latter being the electron donor. Since the participation of such complexed species has been considered in the cyclocopolymerization of a 1,4-diene with a monoolefin such as DVE-maleic anhydride (MA) and DVE-fumaronitrile (FN) systems, radical copolymerization of THNQ and DMTHNQ with DVE was studied. It was found that these copolymers have constant 1:1 composition regardless of the feed composition. The terpolymerization of DVE-THNQ-DMTHNQ confirmed the 1:1 donor-acceptor composition in the polymer. The integration of the NMR spectrum was used in determining the copolymer composition. The spectroscopic data suggest a cyclized repeating unit in which the copolymer main chain consists of only DVE units. There is a marked difference between these copolymers and the typical cyclo-copolymers, such as DVE-MA and DVE-FN, in which the copolymer main chains consist of DVE and the comonomer alternately, with the overall composition being 1:2. These results are interpreted in terms of the steric effect by the bulky acceptor monomers and the electronic interaction between the comonomers. The competition between an acceptor monomer and the charge-transfer (CT) complex toward the cyclized DVE radical in the propagation step appears to favor the CT complex.     

Studies in cyclocopolymerization. VI. Copolymerization of trimethylvinylsilane and dimethyldivinylsilane with maleic anhydride

This paper reports the results of copolymerization of trimethylvinylsilane and dimethyldivinylsilane, respectively, with maleic anhydride. The former forms a 1:1 alternating copolymer while the latter, being a 1,4-pentadiene, forms a 1:2 cyclocopolymer. Consistent with the theory that charge-transfer complexes are involved in certain copolymerizations, it has been shown in this work that both of the vinyl silanes studied form charge-transfer complexes with maleic anhydride. The stoichiometric composition of these complexes have been shown by ultraviolet analysis to be 1:1 molar complexes. The equilibrium constants for complexation of trimethylvinylsilane and dimethyldivinylsilane with maleic anhydride have been determined by NMR and are 0.061 and 0.1071./mole, respectively.     

Studies in Cyclocopolymerization. IX. A Systematic Kinetic Study on the Cyclocopolymerization of Vinyl Ethers with Maleic Anhydride in Different Solvents

Abstract

The kinetics of the AIBN-initiated copolymerization of divinyl ether (DVE) and ethyl vinyl ether (EVE) with maleic anhydride (MA) was extensively studied in seven different solvents. The yield at 100% conversion as a function of the feed composition when the total monomer concentration is kept constant gave a confirmation of the composition of these copolymers: DVE/MA=½ and EVE/MA=1/1. The study of the initial rate as a function of the feed composition made it possible to determine the relative values of the different propagation rate constants consistent with a mechanism by successive and selective additions: in the EVE-MA system, the addition of EVE is slower than the addition of MA; in the DVE-MA system, the addition of DVE is slower than the addition of the first MA molecule, while the addition of the second MA molecule is slower than the first one. The study of the dependence of the monomer concentration, of the AIBN concentration, and of the efficiency of the initiator, on the rate of polymerization, shows finally that the true order of the monomer concentration is close to 1 while its apparent order varies from 1 to 2. From all the kinetic data it was observed that the mechanism of these co polymerizations can be explained without reliving upon the concept of participation of the charge-transfer complex formed between the monomers. However, participation of the complex in a competing mechanism with the above cannot be completely excluded.     

Studies on the charge-transfer complex and polymerization. Part XIII. Dilution and solvent effects in radical terpolymerization

In the terpolymerization of 2-chloroethyl vinyl ether—maleic anhydride—acrylonitrile and p-dioxene—maleic anhydride—acrylonitrile systems the compositions of the terpolymers obtained from feed of the same mole fraction were found to be changed beyond the limit of error for the given amounts and kinds of solvent. This change was considered to be divided into two parts. The first part, discussed quantitatively, was due to a dilution effect on the equilibrium complex formation between donor and acceptor monomer, and the second, as tentatively proposed, was due to a solvent effect on the reactivity of the complex.     

Controlled free-radical copolymerization of maleic anhydride and divinyl ether in the presence of reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer agents

The free-radical alternating cyclocopolymerization of maleic anhydride and divinyl ether is studied at 60–80°C in the presence of benzyl dithiobenzoate and dibenzyl trithiocarbonate as reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer agents. It is shown that the structure of the repeating unit of the cyclocopolymer prepared in the presence of a reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer agent coincides with the structure of the repeating unit of the copolymer synthesized under the conditions of conventional free-radical cyclocopolymerization. When the cyclocopolymer is used as a reversible addition-fragmentation chaintransfer agent, a successive increase in the molecular mass of the copolymer with conversion and formation of the block copolymer in the polymerization of styrene are unambiguous evidence that the copolymerization proceeds according to the pseudoliving radical mechanism.     

Studies in cyclocopolymerization. III. Copolymerization of divinyl ether with certain nitrogen-containing alkenes

The copolymerization of divinyl ether with fumaronitrile (A), tetracyanoethylene (B), and 4-vinylpyridine (C) has been studied, azobisisobutyronitrile being used as initiator. The compositions of the copolymers were calculated from their nitrogen and unsaturation content. Over a wide range of initial monomer composition, the mole fraction of A in the copolymers lies in the range 0.55–0.63, and the copolymers contained only 2–3% unsaturation, indicating a high degree of cyclization. The composition of the copolymers of B indicated that cyclization occurred to only a small extent, as the copolymers contained rather high unsaturation content. The values of r₁ = 0.23 and r₂ = 0.12 were obtained. The mole fraction of C in the copolymers lies between 0.85 and 0.998. If the assumption is made that r₁ ? r_c ? 0 and there is predominant cyclization, r₂ = 32.0 in this case. The difference in the composition of the copolymers is attributed to the difference between the electron density of the double bonds in A, B, and C.     

Radical cyclocopolymerization of divinyl ether and maleic anhydride. A 13C-NMR study of the polymer structure

The structure of the 1:2 copolymer of divinyl ether and maleic anhydride was investigated by ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy. The polymer contains the bicyclic unit composed of one molecule of each monomer and the maleic anhydride unit. The carbon chemical shift for these units was calculated on the basis of the chemical shift of many model compounds. The major peaks of the cyclopolymer prepared in chloroform were consistent with the presence of the symmetrical bicyclic unit with cis junction and the trans monocyclic anhydride unit. The carbonyl carbon spectrum for the copolymer obtained in a mixed solvent of acetone and CS₂ suggested the predominant formation of the unsymmetrical bicyclic unit. The polymerization process was discussed on the basis of these results.     

Cyclocopolymerization of dicyclic dienes and maleic anhydride to fused ring systems

The cyclocopolymerization of maleic anhydride and four 1,5- and 1,6-dienes (bicyclopentene, bicyclohexene, dicyclopentenyl ether, and dicyclohexenyl ether) and one tetraene (quartercyclopentene) is described. Soluble, low molecular weight copolymers were obtained from all five compounds. Their compositions approach 2:1 copolymer ratios. Fused ring structures are proposed as the main repeating units. Among the compounds listed, bicyclopentene copolymerized most easily and gave good conversions for monomer ratios of 2:1. Quartercyclopentene and dicyclopentyl ether, the other five-membered ring compounds, also polymerized to good-to-fair yields. However, a monomer ratio of about 4:1 was required to obtain conversions comparable to a 2:1 maleic anhydride—bicyclopentene polymerization. The six-membered systems, bicyclopentene and dicyclopentenyl ether, gave consistently low conversions, even with a 4:1 monomer ratio. The influence of the initiator system, initiator concentration, and reaction medium was studied on copolymerizations of bicyclopentene. Best results were obtained in acetic anhydride with azobisisobutyronitrile as the initiator.     

Donor-Acceptor Complexes in Copolymerization. LIX. Alternating Diene-Dienophile Copolymers. 13. Copolymerization of Dicyclopentadiene and Maleic Anhydride

The solution and bulk copolymerization of dicyclopentadiene (DCP) and maleic anhydride (MAH) occurs over the temperature range 80–240°C, upon the addition of a free-radical catalyst which has a short half-life at the reaction temperature. An unsaturated 1/1 MAH/DCP copolymer, derived from the copolymerization of MAH with the norbornene double bond, followed by a Wagner-Meerwein rearrangement, is obtained in the presence of a large excess of DCP at 80° C, while a saturated 2/1 MAH/ DCP copolymer, derived from the cyclocopolymerization of the residual cyclopentene unsaturation, is obtained at higher temperatures or in the presence of excess MAH. The copolymers prepared under other conditions with intermediate MAH/DCP mole ratios contain both 1/1 and 2/1 repeating units. The copolymer obtained from bulk copolymerization above 170° C contains units derived from cyclopentadiene-MAH cyclocopolymerization as well as DCP-MAH copolymerization.     

Copolymers of 1,4-Dienes with Monoolefins via a Cyclocopolymerization Mechanism

The copolymerizations of divinyl ether, divinyl sulfone, and 1,4-pentadiene with certain monoolefinic monomers were studied. High molecular weight (inherent viscosity ≥ 1.0) copolymers of divinyl ether with maleic anhydride could be prepared using dichlorobenzoyl peroxide as the initiator. Derivatives of this copolymer were also prepared and studied. Divinyl sulfone and 1,4-pentadiene also gave soluble polymers with maleic anhydride but the inherent viscosities were much lower. Copolymerizations of these three dienes with dimethyl maleate, acrylonitrile, or vinyl acetate gave either low molecular weight materials at low conversions or cross-linked polymer at higher conversion. All of the soluble copolymers obtained showed little aliphatic unsaturation in the infrared, supporting the cyclocopolymerization theory.     

CHARGE-TRANSFER AND ENERGY-TRANSFER IN THE PHOTO-INDUCED COPOLYMERIZATION OF 2-VINYLNAPHTHALENE WITH MALEIC ANHYDRIDE

The initiation mechanism of the copolymerization of 2-vinylnaphthalene with maleic anhydride was studied under irradiation of 365 nm. The excited complex was formed from (1) the local excitation of 2-vinylnaphthalene followed by the charge-transfer interaction with maleic anhydride and (2) the excitation of the ground state charge-transfer complex, and then it collapsed to 1,4-tetramethylene biradical for initiation. A1: 1 alternating copolymer was formed in different monomer feeds. Addition of benzophenone could greatly enhance the rate of copolymerization through energy-transfer mechanism.     

Note Copolymerization of Styrene with Maleic Anhydride Initiated by L-Ascorbic Acid

It is well known that maleic anhydride (MAH) behaves as an electron acceptor and forms charge-transfer complexes with donor monomers such as styrene (ST) [1,2], divinyl ether [3], and some of other olefms [4–61. The charge-transfer polymerization of ST with MAH has been extensively studied [1,7–11]. On the other hand, L-ascorbic acid (L-Asc) in combination with a suitable oxidants proved to be an efficient redox initiator for various vinyl polymerizations. Misra et al. [12] showed that the reduction of peroxides by ascorbic acid follows a chain mechanism with ascorbate and other free radicals as intermediates. Thus, we can expect that such an electron donor might initiate the copolymerization of MAH with ST.     

Sulfur-Containing Vinyl Monomers. XV. Kinetic Study of Radical Polymerization of Vinyl Mercaptobenzothiazole and Its Copolymerization

A kinetic study of radical polymerization of vinyl mercaptobenzothiazole (VMBT) with α,α′-azobisisobutyonitrile (AIBN) at 60°C was carried out. The rate of polymerization (R_p) was found to be expressed by the rate equation: R_p = k[AIBN]^0.5 [VMBT]^1.0, indicating that the polymerization of this monomer proceeds via an ordinary radical mechanism. The apparent activation energy for overall polymerization was calculated to be 20.9 kcal/mole. Moreover, this monomer was copolymerized with methyl methacrylate, acrylonitrile, vinyl acetate, phenyl vinyl sulfide, maleic anhydride, and fumaronitrile at 60°C. From the results obtained, the copolymerization parameters were determined and discussed.     

Radiation-induced solid-state copolymerization of maleic anhydride and acenaphthylene

Radiation-induced solid-state copolymerization of the maleic anhydride–acenaphthylene system was carried out for the purpose of studying the solid-state polymerization of vinyl compounds in a binary system. Melting point measurement confirmed that this binary monomer system forms a eutectic mixture in the solid state. The solid-state polymerization of these monomers proceeds at maximum rate at the eutectic composition, and the polymerization products consist of a mixture of polyacenaphthylene and 1:1 maleic anhydride–acenaphthylene alternating copolymer. Since the 1:1 copolymer was obtained in solution polymerization also and maleic anhydride did not homopolymerize in solid state, it is considered that the solid-state copolymerization of maleic anhydride and acenaphthylene occurs in a liquidlike state at the boundary of the two monomer crystals.     

Alternating copolymerization of 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-p-benzoquinone with styrene and polymerization behavior with vinyloxy compounds

2,3-Dichloro-5,6-dicyano-p-benzoquinone (DDQ) was found to copolymerize alternatingly with styrene (St). DDQ–isobutyl vinyl ether and DDQ–2-chloroethyl vinyl ether systems gave homopolymers of vinyl ethers, while DDQ–phenyl vinyl ether and DDQ–vinyl acetate systems gave oligomers containing both monomer units. In the terpolymerization of DDQ, p-chloranil (pCA), and St, terpolymers obtained were found to have about 50 mole % of St units regardless of monomer feed ratio and DDQ was incorporated much more rapidly into the terpolymer than pCA. The difference in the reactivity of the acceptor monomers could be attributed to that in their electron-accepting character.     

Alternating copolymerization of ethylene with maleic anhydride

The copolymerization of ethylene with maleic anhydride was carried out with γ-radiation and a radical initiator, i.e., 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile and diisopropyl peroxydicarbonate under pressure at various reaction conditions. The homopolymerization of neither monomer was observed in this system. In the γ-ray-initiated copolymerization the G value (polymerized monomer molecules per 100 e.v.) was shown to be between 10³ and 10⁴. It was found that the dose rate exponent of the rate is approximately unity, and the rate is proportional to the amount of ethylene monomer. Apparent activation energies of 1.8 and 27.5 kcal./mole were obtained for γ-ray-initiated and AIBN-initiated copolymerization, respectively. Since the composition of copolymer is independent of monomer molar ratio and the molar ratio of ethylene to maleic anhydride in the polymer is approximately unity, the monomer reactivity ratios were obtained as r_E ? 0 and r_M ? 0 for γ-ray-initiated polymerization at 40°C. Alternating copolymerization was, therefore, concluded to occur. Infrared analysis of the copolymer is almost consistent with this. The copolymer in the solid state is amorphous. It is soluble in water, cyclohexane, and dimethylformamide and insoluble in lower alcohols, ether, and aromatic hydrocarbons. The aqueous solution of polymer gave a strong acid.     

Polymers from renewable resources. II. A study in the radio chemical grafting of poly(styrene‐alt‐maleic anhydride) onto cellulose extracted from pine needles

A binary mixture of styrene and maleic anhydride has been graft copolymerized onto cellulose extracted from Pinus roxburghii needles. The reaction was initiated with gamma rays in air by the simultaneous irradiation method. Graft copolymerization was studied under optimum conditions of total dose of radiation, amount of water, and molar concentration previously worked out for grafting styrene onto cellulose. Percentage of total conversion (Pg), grafting efficiency (%), percentage of grafting (Pg), and rates of polymerization (R_p), grafting (R_g), and homopolymerization (R_h) have been determined as a function of maleic anhydride concentration. The high degree of kinetic regularity and the linear dependence of the rate of polymerization on maleic anhydride concentration, along with the low and nearly constant rate of homopolymerization suggest that the monomers first form a complexomer which then polymerizes to form grafted chains with an alternating sequence. Grafting parameters and reaction rates achieve maximum values when the molar ratio of styrene to maleic anhydride is 1 : 1. Further evidence for the alternating monomer sequence is obtained from quantitatively evaluating the composition of the grafted chains from the FT‐IR spectra, in which the ratio of anhydride absorbance to aromatic (CC) absorbance for the stretching bands assigned to the grafted monomers remained constant and independent of the feed ratio of maleic anhydride to styrene. Thermal behaviour of the graft copolymers revealed that all graft copolymers exhibit single stage decomposition with characteristic transitions at 161–165°C and 290–300°C. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 1763–1769, 1999     

Polymerization of coordinated monomers. III. Copolymerization of acrylonitrile–zinc chloride,methacrylonitrile–zinc chloride or methyl methacrylate–zinc chloride complex with styrene

The 1:1 or 2:1 complex of acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, or methyl methacrylate with ZnCl₂ was copolymerized with styrene at the temperature of 0–30°C without any initiator. The structure of the copolymer from methyl methacrylate complex and styrene was examined by NMR spectroscopy. The complexes of acrylonitrile or methacrylonitrile with ZnCl₂ gave a copolymer containing about 50 mole-% styrene units. The complexes of methyl methacrylate yielded an alternating copolymer when the feed molar ratio of methyl methacrylate to styrene was small, but with increasing feed molar ratio the resulting copolymer consisted of about 2 moles of methyl methacrylate per mole of styrene. The formation of a charge-transfer complex of styrene with a monomer coordinated to zinc atom was inferred from the ultraviolet spectra. The regulation of the copolymerization was considered to be effected by the charge-transfer complex. The copolymer resulting from the 2:1 methyl methacrylate–zinc chloride complex had no specific tacticity, whereas the copolymer from the 1:1 complex was richer in coisotacticity than in cosyndiotacticity. The change of the composition of the copolymer and its specific tacticity in the polymerization of the methyl methacrylate complex is related to the structure of the complex.     

A study of the ring size in the copolymer of divinyl ether and maleic anhydride by H-NMR spectroscopy

The well-known alternating 1:2 cyclocopolymer of divinyl ether (DVE) and maleic anhydride (MA) possesses a wide spectrum of biological activities, including antitumor. Recent research on the structure of a variety of cyclopolymers has raised a question about the ring size of this cyclocopolymer. In this article we report on an extensive spectroscopic study of its structure. By use of deuterated monomers the H-NMR peaks at δ 2.31, 3.47, 4.06, and 4.49 ppm with an area ratio of 2:1:1:1 were assigned to the hydrogens of methylenes, methines on the backbone anhydride unit, methines on the ring anhydride unit, and methines adjacent to oxygen on the cyclic ether ring, respectively. By examination of the possible isomeric structures of the bicyclic ring, the splitting of each peak group was further assigned for cis and trans disubstitutions on the anhydride unit. The splitting pattern from the 300-MHz NMR spectrum of the DVE-2,3-dideuteriomaleic anhydride (DMA) copolymer confirmed the unsymmetrical ring structure. ¹³C-NMR spectra were consistent with the conclusion from the H-NMR spectra. A chair-form, six-membered ring with predominantly trans geometry in the anhydride ring was assigned to the structure of DVE–MA copolymer. On the basis of little or no change in the ¹³C-NMR spectra of the copolymers prepared at different temperatures it was concluded that there was no significant change in structure with temperature. This led to the assignment of the energetically favored, six-membered ring structure to the copolymer prepared under these conditions. A mechanism for cyclocopolymerization, based on the HOMO–LUMO interaction of the comonomers and the intramolecular radical addition on the preoriented double bond, was proposed. This mechanism leads to the formation of the six-membered ring structure of the copolymer as the only product. A ¹³C-NMR study of the structure of the copolymer prepared in chloroform by Kunitake and Tsukino is being published as a companion article.