Stereocontrol in radical polymerization

The stereospecific radical polymerization of vinyl esters, methacrylates, and alpha-substituted acrylates was studied. Fluoroalcohols, as a solvent, have remarkable effects on the stereoregularity of the radical polymerizations of vinyl acetate, vinyl pivalate, and vinyl benzoate, affording polymers rich in syndiotacticity, heterotacticity, and isotacticity, respectively. This method was successfully applied to the polymerization of methacrylates to give syndiotactic polymers. The steric repulsion between the entering monomer and the chain-end monomeric unit bound by the solvent through hydrogen bonding is important for the stereochemical control in these systems. Lewis acid catalysts, such as lanthanide trifluoromethanesulfonates and zinc salts, were also effective for the stereocontrol during the radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate, to reduce the syndiotacticity and alpha-(alkoxymethyl)acrylates to synthesize isotactic and syndiotactic polymers. Radical polymerization of the methacrylates bearing a bulky ester group, such as the triphenylmethyl methacrylate derivatives, gave highly isotactic polymers, as in the case of anionic polymerization. In addition, the control of one-handed helical conformation was attained in the radical polymerization of 1-phenyldibenzosuberyl methacrylate using chiral neomenthanethiol or cobalt(II) complexes as an additive.     

Heterotactic poly(vinyl alcohol)

Bulky substituents in vinyl trialkylsilyl ethers and vinyl trialkylcarbinyl ethers led to heterotactic polymers (H = 66%). The polymers were converted into poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and further to poly(vinyl acetate), and tacticity was determined as poly(vinyl acetate). Vinyl triisopropylsilyl ether in nonpolar solvents yielded a heterotactic polymer with a higher percentage of isotactic triads than syndiotactic triads (Hetero-I). Vinyl trialkylcarbinyl ethers in polar solvents gave a heterotactic polymer with more syndiotactic triads than isotactic (Hetero-II). Heterotactic PVA was soluble in water and showed characteristics infrared absorptions. Interestingly, Hetero-I PVA showed no iodine color reaction, but Hetero-II showed a much more intense color reaction than a commercial PVA. The mechanism of heterotactic propagation was discussed in terms of the Markóv chain model.     

Living cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers in the presence of added bases: Recent advances

The living cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers was carried out with organoaluminum compounds in the presence of various types of esters and ethers (cyclic and acyclic), to find out the suitable added bases available for the living polymerization. The effects of the basicity and steric hindrance of added bases were investigated in detail. On the basis of these results, a fast living polymerization system was realized. To synthesize water-soluble polymers such as thermally-induced phase separating polymers and polyalcohols with well-defined polymer structure, the living polymerization of various vinyl ethers was examined. The aqueous solution of living poly(vinyl ethers) having oxyethylene units exhibited a quite sensitive (ΔT_ps=0.3–0.5°C) and reversible phase separation on heating and cooling. The effects of polymer structures (pendant substituent, polymer sequence, molecular weight, and MWD) on the phase separation behavior were investigated. PVA and block copolymers containing PVA units with a narrow MWD were also prepared via living cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers and a deprotection reaction.     

Living cationic polymerization of vinyl monomers: Mechanism and synthesis of new polymers

This paper reviews the recent progress in our research on the living cationic polymerization of vinyl compounds by the hydrogen iodide/iodine (HI/I₂) initiating system, with emphasis on its scope, mechanism, and applications to new polymer synthesis. The scope of the living cationic polymerization has been expanded to include vinyl ethers, propenyl ethers, unsaturated cyclic ethers, and styrene derivatives as monomers. The initiation/propagation mechanism was discussed on the basis of recent direct analysis on the living system by NMR and UV/visible spectroscopy. The proposed mechanism involves a quantitative formation of Hl-vinyl ether adduct [CH₃-CH(OR)-I; l] that is by itself incapable of initiating polymerization. In the presence of iodine, however, the CH-I bond of l is electrophilically activated by iodine and living propagation occurs via the insertion of vinyl ether to the activated CH-I bond. Such living polymerizations were found to proceed in not only nonpolar but polar solvents (CH₂Cl₂) as well. Quenching the living end with amines gave polymers capped with an amino group that in turn enabled us to determine the living end concentration. Applications of the HI/I₂-initiated living process to the synthesis of new bifunctional and block polymers were also described.     

Stereospecific polymerization of 9-fluorenyl methacrylate: Tacticity effects on the thermal and photophysical properties of the polymers

Poly(9-fluoreneyl methacrylate) was obtained through anionic polymerization with t-BuLi and t-BuMgBr and through radical polymerization with α,α′-azobisisobutyronitrile. Anionic polymerization with t-BuLi in tetrahydrofuran and radical polymerization afforded syndiotactic polymers (rr ∼ 90%), whereas anionic polymerization with Li and Mg initiators in toluene and CH₂Cl₂ led to isotactic polymers. The thermal and photophysical properties of the polymers were examined. A syndiotactic polymer tended to show higher glass transition and decomposition temperatures than an isotactic polymer. However, polymers with different tacticities were not likely to assume specific, distinctive conformations such as a helix or a π-stacked conformation in solution. An isotactic polymer showed stronger interactions in a CH₂Cl₂ solution with 2,4,7-trinitro-9-fluorenylidenemalononitrile, an electron-acceptor molecule, than a syndiotactic polymer. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 4656–4665, 2004     

Stereoregulation in cationic polymerization by designed Lewis acids. II. Effects of alkyl vinyl ether structure

Stereoregulation in the cationic polymerization of various alkyl vinyl ethers was investigated with bis[(2,6‐diisopropyl)phenoxy]titanium dichloride ( 1 ; catalyst) in conjunction with the HCl adduct of isobutyl vinyl ether as an initiator in n‐hexane at −78 °C. The tacticities depended on the substituents of the monomers. Isobutyl and isopropyl vinyl ethers gave highly isotactic polymers (mm = 83%), whereas tert‐butyl and n‐butyl vinyl ethers resulted in lower isotactic contents (mm ∼ 50%) similar to those for TiCl₄, a conventional Lewis acid, thus indicating that the steric bulkiness of the substituents was not the critical factor in stereoregulation. A statistical analysis revealed that the high isospecificity was achieved not by the chain end but by the catalyst 1 or the counteranion derived therefrom. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 1060–1066, 2001     

Polymerisation anionique du methacrylate de methyle par les organoalcalins—II. Polymerisation en milieu solvant protonique et influence de la temperature sur les tacticites des polymeres

Anionic polymerization of methylmethacrylate, initiated by fluorenyl-alkali metals in amine media, gives syndiotactic polymers.With amines having high dielectric constant (NH₃ and MeA) Li⁺, Na⁺ and K⁺ give approximately the same values of differential enthalpies and entropies of activation for iso- and syndiotactic placements.With primary amines having moderate dielectric constant (5 < ? < 7), influence of the nature of the counter-ion has been observed. The syndiotacticity increases with increasing alkali cation radius.For the same ion pair, the syndiotacticity of the propagation depends on the nature of the primary amine. From the absorption peak shifts detected by u.v. spectroscopy, it has been suggested that the living carbanion is solvated by amines. Because of this solvation, the coordination bond between the carboxy group of the living chain-end and the counter-ion is weakened; the syndiotactic placement is thus favoured.The strength of the solvation phenomenon depends on the steric hindrance of the amine molecule. Differences between the stereoconfiguration propagations have been observed for the bulky cyclohexylamine and the smaller and less rigid n-butylamine and ethylamine. With iso-propylamine, the behaviour of the anionic propagation is intermediate.Finally, with free ions or loose ion pairs, the anionic propagation is not affected by solvation of the living carbanion.     

Transition metal catalyzed cationic polymerizations

Certain complexes of platinum, rhodium, iridium and cobalt are capable of initiating cationic vinyl and ring-opening polymerizations in the presence of a Si-H containing cocatalyst. An investigation has shown that two distinctly different mechanisms are involved, however, in both cases cationic polymerization can be explained by the formal attack of an electrophilic silicon species on the monomers. Since the transition metal complexes listed above also are catalysts for hydrosilation reactions, it is possible to carry out simultaneous cationic polymerizations and hydrosilation reactions to prepare novel and interesting polymers and oligomers.     

Stereochemistry in cationic polymerization of alkenyl ethers. V. Stereochemistry of acetal additions as model reactions for the polymerization of alkenyl ethers

Acetal additions to β-substituted vinyl ethers having a variety of substituents (alkenyl ethers) were stereochemically investigated as model reactions for their cationic polymerization. The reactions catalyzed by BF₃O(C₂H₅)₂ in CH₂Cl₂ at O°C gave 1:1 adducts, the steric structure of which was determined by means of ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy. trans-Alkenyl ethers always gave adducts with a single structure stereospecifically, indicating that the intermediate carbocation attacks a trans-alkenyl ether from a definite direction independent of the bulkiness of substituents. On the other hand, cis-alkenyl ethers formed adducts with two steric structures, and the direction of cation addition was found to depend on the bulkiness of the alkoxy group involved. The above trends were in agreement with the results for poly(alkenyl ether)s and allowed detailed discussion of the stereochemistry of the propagation processes in alkenyl ether polymerizations.     

N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylene diamine as a co-catalyst in the anionic polylymerization of methyl methacrylate

Anionic polymerization of methyl methacrylate in toluene solution has been studied. The polymerizations were initiated by fluorenyllithium as well as by butyl-, benzyl-, and phenylmagnesium halides, and carried out in the presence of polar additives. Especially the organomagnesium initiators gave generally rise to highly isotactic polymers (mm = 0.90-0.95) in the absence of solvating additives. In the presence of the bidentate ligand N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylene diamine (TMEDA) at molar ratios of 1–2 relative to magnesium, highly syndiotactic polymers were obtained at ?78°C (rr = 0.8–0.9), while at higher temperatures stereoblock polymers or stereocomplexes were formed. It is proposed that at low temperatures the magnesium cations are strongly solvated under the influence of TMEDA, with the formation of monomeric ion pairs. The large solvated magnesium cations will not have any directional influence on the monomer in the propagation step, with syndiotactic propagation as a result.     

Stereoregularity of poly(vinyl ether)

α-Methylvinyl isobutyl and methyl ethers were polymerized cationically and the structure of the polymers was studied by NMR. Poly(α-methylvinyl methyl ether) polymerized with iodine or ferric chloride as catalyst was found to be almost atactic, whereas poly(α-methylvinyl isobutyl ether) polymerized in toluene with BF₃OEt₂ or AlEt₂Cl as catalyst was found to be isotactic. In both cases, the addition of polar solvent resulted in the increase of syndiotactic structure as is the case with polymerization of alkyl vinyl ether. tert-Butyl vinyl ether was polymerized, and the polymer was converted into poly(vinyl acetate), the structure of which was studied by NMR. A nearly linear relationship between the optical density ratio D₇₂₂/D₇₃₆ in poly(tert-butyl vinyl ether) and the isotacticity of the converted poly(vinyl acetate) was observed.     

New stage in living cationic polymerization: An array of effective Lewis acid catalysts and fast living polymerization in seconds

Our recent extensive research on Lewis acid catalysts with a weak base for the cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers led to unprecedented living reaction systems: fast living polymerization within 1–3 s; a wide choice of metal halides containing Al, Sn, Fe, Ti, Zr, Hf, Zn, Ga, In, Si, Ge, and Bi; and heterogeneously catalyzed living polymerization with Fe₂O₃. The use of added bases for the stabilization of the propagating carbocation and the appropriate selection of Lewis acid catalysts were crucial to the success of such new types of living polymerizations. In addition, the base‐stabilized living polymerization allowed the quantitative synthesis of star‐shaped polymers with a narrow molecular weight distribution via polymer‐linking reactions and the precision synthesis and self‐assembly of stimuli‐responsive block copolymers. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 1801–1813, 2007.     

Stereoregularity of poly(alkyl α-chloroacrylates) and mechanism of isotactic polymerization

The catalytic activity of the complexes prepared by the reaction of Grignard reagents with ketones, esters, and an epoxide as polymerization catalysts of methyl and ethyl α-chloroacrylates was investigated. The modifiers which gave isotactic polymers were α,β-unsaturated ketones such as benzalacetophenone, benzalacetone, dibenzalacetone, mesityl oxide, and methyl vinyl ketone, and α,β-unsaturated esters such as ethyl cinnamate, ethyl crotonate, and methyl acrylate. Catalysts with butyl ethyl ketone, propiophenone, and propylene oxide as modifiers produced atactic polymers but no isotactic polymers. It was revealed that the complex catalysts having a structure ? C?C? O? MgX (X is halogen) gave isotactic polymers. The mechanism of isotactic polymerization was discussed. In addition, for radical polymerization of ethyl α-chloroacrylate, enthalpy and entropy differences between isotactic and syndiotactic additions were calculated to give ΔH_i^* ? ΔH_s^* = 910 cal/mole and ΔS_i^* ? ΔS_s^* = 0.82 eu.     

Relation between the reactivities of vinyl monomers in ionic polymerizations and their 1H NMR spectra

¹H NMR chemical shifts of the protons in the vinyl groups of monomers are correlated with their reactivities in anionic, coordinated anionic, and cationic polymerizations. The relative reactivities of styrenes in anionic addition reactions with living polystyrene increase linearly with the chemical shift of the proton trans to the substituent (δ_H1). Only the plot for 2,4,6-trimethylstyrene deviates very much from the linear relation because of the large steric hindrance. The relative reactivities of methacrylates in anionic copolymerizations increase with increasing chemical shifts of protons attached to the β-carbon of methacrylates. In cationic polymerizations of styrenes, the relative reactivities decrease with increasing δ_H1. The relative reactivities in coordinated anionic polymerizations with Ti-containing Ziegler initiators show a typical feature of cationic polymerization, and those with V-containing initiators show a typical feature of anionic polymerization, indicating the importance of the coordination process in the propagation reaction with Ti-containing initiator systems. From the results, it can be concluded that the chemical shifts of the protons attached to the β-carbon of vinyl monomers can be used as a practical measure of the reactivity of vinyl monomers in ionic polymerizations and also as a tool for understanding the mechanism of polymerization. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 2134–2147, 2002     

Zur Taktizität anionisch hergestellter Poly-α-methylstyrole

α-Methylstyrene has been polymerized with lithium, sodium and potassium naphthalene in tetrahydropyran, tetrahydrofuran and 1.2-dimethoxyethane at ?30°. The tacticity of the polymers was determined by NMR. spectroscopy. Within the limits of reliability no influence of the cation on the tacticity was observed. With growing polarity of the solvent a slight but definite trend towards higher stereospecifity was noticed. The distribution of isotactic and syndiotactic links is purely statistical. The considerable dependence of tacticity upon the polymerization mechanism is ascribed to differences in the steric configuration of carbanions and carbonium ions due to different hybridization.     

Transformations of chloroethylenes in the presence of aprotonic acids

The cationic polymerization of vinyl chloride, vinylidene chloride, and cis- and trans- 1,2-dichloroethylenes with the use of Lewis acid-type catalysts has been studied. Vinylidene chloride is smoothly polymerized in the presence of ZnCl₂ at 40°C to form the dimer, 1,1,3,3-tetrachlorobutene-1, and poly(vinylidene chloride) having somewhat increased crystallinity (45%). Vinyl chloride is polymerized very slowly in the presence of AlCl₃ and TiCl₄ to give dimeric, trimeric, tetrameric, and low molecular weight polymer products. The polymerization is followed by carbonium ion isomerization that leads to reaction products of branched structure. The cis- and trans-1,2-dichloroethylenes react in the presence of AlCl₃ only at 50–60°C, and their polymerization is terminated at the stage of dimer and cyclic trimer formation. A mechanism of carbonium ion-initiated polymerization of chloroethylenes is proposed, and the causes which lead to early termination of polymerization are discussed.     

Modulating Polymer Dispersity with Light: Cationic Polymerization of Vinyl Ethers Using Photochromic Initiators

Deterministic methods for tuning polymer dispersity are rare, especially for nonradical polymerizations. Reported here is the first example of photomodulating dispersity in controlled cationic polymerizations of vinyl ethers using carboxy‐functionalized dithienylethene initiators. Reversible photoisomerization of these initiators induces changes in their acidities by up to an order of magnitude. Using the more acidic, ring‐closed isomers as initiators results in polymers with lower dispersities. The degree of light‐induced pK_a change in the initiators correlates with the degree of dispersity change in polymers derived from the isomeric initiators. The polymerizations are controlled, and dynamic photoswitching of dispersity during the polymerization reaction was demonstrated. This work provides a framework for photomodulating dispersity in other controlled polymerizations and developing one‐pot block copolymerization reactions in which the dispersities of component blocks can be controlled using light.     

Mimicking Ziegler‐Natta Catalysts in Homogeneous Phase, 1. C2‐Symmetric Octahedral Zr(IV) Complexes with Tetradentate [ONNO]‐Type Ligands

Results of propene polymerization in the presence of two known octahedral C₂‐symmetric Zr complexes bearing tetradentate [ONNO]‐type ligands are reported for the first time. Depending on the steric hindrance at the active metal, isotactic site‐controlled or weakly syndiotactic chain‐end‐controlled polymers were obtained, in both cases via highly regioselective 1,2 (primary) monomer insertion. In this respect, the complexes mimic the behavior of the active Ti species on the surface of the heterogeneous Ziegler‐Natta catalysts of which they might represent good structural models.     

Advances in the catalyses of polymerizations

Abstract

Nearly all technical processes for the production of polymers are carried out in the presence of catalysts. In the case of addition polymerization reactions, two mechanisms are possible: Start of the reaction via an initiator (e.g., peroxides) or start via a true catalyst (e.g., Ziegler/ Natta systems). In both areas remarkable progress has been made: Cationic “living” polymerizations of oxacycloalkanes, group transfer polymerization, metal-catalyzed alternating copolymerization of ethylene with carbon monoxide, and metallocene-catalyzed polymerizations of alpha-olefins. The polymerization of alpha-olefins with metallocene catalysts not only leads to the improvement of well-known polymers like polyethylene and polypropylene, but also enables the production of new polymers like syndiotactic polypropylene, syndiotactic polystyrene, and cycloolefin copolymers on an industrial scale.     

Synthesis and polymerization of vinyl esters and vinyl ethers having bulky substituents

In order to clarify the effect of bulky substituents on the stereoregulation of vinyl monomers, vinyl-1-adamantanecarboxylate and vinyl 1-adamantyl ether were synthesized and polymerized by radical and cationic mechanisms, respectively. As open-chain models of the adamantyl group, vinyl trialkylacetate (alkyl = ethyl, n-propyl, and n-butyl) and vinyl tri-n-propylcarbinyl ether were also synthesized and polymerized. The adamantly group in the vinyl ester favored syndiotactic propagation in a manner similar to the trimethylcarbinyl group. Higher homologs of tri-n-alkylcarbinyl group showed higher syndiotacticity but this effect was saturated in higher members of the series. The effect of the adamantyl group in vinyl ether was similar to that of the tert-butyl group, leading to high isotacticity on cationic polymerizations in nonpolar solvents and to atactic polymers in polar solvents, but the tri-n-propylcarbinyl group was found unique in leading to what was assumed to be a heterotactic polymer. Polymers with the adamantyl group showed much higher softening points than polymers of the corresponding open-chain groups.