Chemical modification of polynorbornene. I. Sulfonation in dilute solution

The sulfonation of dilute solutions of polynorbornene (PN) in CCl₄ has been carried out using SO₃–triethylphosphate complexes of various stoichiometries dissolved in dichloroethane (DCE) or trifluoro-trichloro-ethane (TTE). This leads to an electrophilic substitution, with very few side reactions, yielding high sulfonation ratios (ca. 85%). The initial reaction is first order in both reactants (PN and SO₃) and has an activation energy of 17.5 kJ mol^?1. The reaction becomes diffusion-controlled after ca. 30 min at room temperature due to the precipitation of the partially sulfonated polymer. The initial rate is almost independent of the isomeric structure (cis or trans) and the molecular weight of the polymer, as well as on the stoichiometry of the SO₃–TEP complex; it is higher when TTE is used as solvent. The final sulfonation ratio is strongly dependent on the concentration of SO₃ and seems to be controlled by the conditions of diffusion inside the precipitated solid.     

Sulfonation of tert-alkyl chlorides: Application to the tert-chloride-terminated polyisobutylene system

The direct sulfonation of tert-chloride-terminated polyisobutylene was carried out using acetyl sulfate in methylene chloride/hexanes diluent to produce low molecular weight model ionomer systems with narrow molecular weight distribution. The room temperature sulfonation of 2-chloro-2,4,4-trimethylpentane, which serves as a model for the polyisobutylene chain end obtained in the controlled cationic polymerization of isobutylene, was found to be quantitative after 3 h reaction. The two major products, isomeric β,γ-unsaturated sulfonic acids differing only in the location of the double bond, were the same products obtained from the sulfonation of 2,4,4-trimethyl-1-pentene, which serves as a model for the polyisobutylene chain end after quantitative dehydrochlorination. Near-monodisperse, tert-chloride-terminated, three-arm star polyisobutylene was synthesized under living cationic polymerization conditions using the tricumychloride/TiCl₄/pyridine initiation system in hexanes/methyl chloride consolvents. Sulfonation was carried out directly upon the obtained polymer, and the sulfonated product was purified using ion-exchange chromatography. Structural elucidation was performed using NMR. Titration and molecular weight characterization revealed that sulfonation produced exactly one sulfonic acid group per polyisobutylene chain end.     

UV radiation induced graft copolymerization of allyl acetate onto poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) films for fuel cell membranes

Ultraviolet（UV）-induced graft copolymerization of allyl acetate（AA） monomer onto polyethylene terephthalate) （PET） films and the subsequent sulfonation on the monomer units in the grafting chain using chlorosulfonic acid（ClSO₃H） were carried out to prepare proton exchange membranes（PEMs） for fuel cells.A maximum grafting value of 12.8%was found for 35 vol%allyl acetate after 3 h radiation time.Optimum concentration of C1SO₃H was selected for the sulfonation reaction to be 0.05 mol/L based on the degree of sulfonation and the tensile strength studies of the membrane.The degree of sulfonation increased as the sulfonation reaction temperature and sulfonation time were increasing.The radiation grafting and the sulfonation have been confirmed by titrimetric and gravimetric analyses as well as FTIR spectroscopy.The maximum ion exchange capacity（IEC） of 0.04125 mmol g^-1 was found at 12.1%degree of sulfonation and the maximum proton conductivity was found to be 0.035 S cm^-1 at 30℃and a relative humidity of 60%.The various physical and chemical properties of the PEMs such as water uptake,mechanical strength,thermal durability and oxidative stability were also studied.To investigate the suitability of the prepared membrane for fuel cell applications,its properties were compared with those of Nafion 117.     

Solid-phase derivatization of tryptic peptides for rapid protein identification by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry

Solid-phase sulfonation of tryptic peptides adsorbed to C18 muZipTips has been carried out to facilitate de novo sequencing with mass spectrometry. Peptides are reacted with the sulfonation reagent while they are still adsorbed to the solid phase. Excess reagent passes through the ZipTip to waste. Washing the products before subsequent elution from the mini-column also affords sample cleanup prior to analysis. Near quantitative N-terminal sulfonation can be achieved reliably at room temperature in only a few seconds. The method has been applied successfully to model peptides and to solution or in-gel digests of proteins. Current sequencing limits are about 100 fmol of protein. Multiplexed sample sulfonation reactions have been carried out with a manual 8-position micropipettor or using centrifugal force to reliably pass reagents and wash solutions over sample-loaded ZipTips. With multiplexing, overall preparation times have been reduced to about 1 min per sample. The solid-phase format facilitates efficient use of precious digest samples by enabling them to be recovered from the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) sample stage after mass fingerprinting, derivatized and re-analyzed by MALDI postsource decay mass spectrometry.     

New sulfonated engineering polymers via the metalation route. I. Sulfonated poly(ethersulfone) PSU Udel® via metalation-sulfination-oxidation

A new process has been developed for the sulfonation of arylene polymers which can be lithiated, like polysulfone Udel®. The sulfonation process consists of the following steps: (1) lithiation of the polymer at temperatures from −50 to −80°C under argon, (2) gassing of the lithiated polymer with SO₂; (3) oxidation of the formed polymeric sulfinate with H₂O₂, NaOCl, or KMnO₄; (4) ion-exchange of the lithium salt of the sulfonic acid in aqueous HCl. The advantages of the presented sulfonation procedure are: (1) in principle all polymers which can be lithiated can be subjected to this sulfonation process; (2) by this sulfonation procedure the sulfonic acid group is inserted into the more hydrolysis-stable part of the molecule; (3) this process is ecologically less harmful than many common sulfonation procedures. The sulfonated polymers were characterized by NMR, titration and elemental analysis, by IR spectroscopy, and by determination of ionic conductivity. Also the hydrolytic stability of the sulfonated ion-exchange polymers was investigated. Polymers with an ion-exchange capacity of 0.5 to 3.2 mequiv SO₃H/g Polymer have been synthesized and characterized. The following results have been achieved: membranes made from the sulfonated polymers show good conductivity, good permselectivity (>90%), and good hydrolytic stability in 1N HCl and water at temperatures up to 80°C. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Chemistry of 2-hetarylbenzimidazoles. 10. Synthesis and properties of 2-(3′-furyl)-1-methyl-1H-benzimidazole

A study was carried out on the electrophilic substitution reactions such as chloromethylation, bromination, sulfonation, nitration, and acylation of 2-(3′-furyl)-1-methyl-1H-benzimidazole in acid media. All these reactions proceed at C₍₂₎ and C₍₅₎ of the furan ring. Quantum-chemical calculations of the three-dimensional structure of such heterocyclic systems are given. Communication 9, see ref. [1]. __________ Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 12, pp. 1815–1820, December, 2005.     

Sulfonation of metallocene‐based polyolefinic elastomers and its influence on physicomechanical properties: Effect of reaction parameters,styrene grafting,and pendant chain length

Direct sulfonation and styrene‐mediated sulfonation were carried out onto metallocene‐based poly(ethylene‐co‐octene) (POE) and poly(ethylene‐co‐butene) (PBE) elastomers to impart polarity on the completely nonpolar rubbery matrices and to prepare a new class of elastomer. The influence of styrene‐grafting and pendant chain length on the degree of sulfonation was also studied. The effects of sulfonation, styrene grafting and styrene‐mediated sulfonation at their optimized levels on various physicomechanical properties were thoroughly investigated, and the resultant properties were correlated with structures of the modified elastomers. Higher extent of sulfonic acid groups were introduced through direct sulfonation in comparison with the styrene‐mediated sulfonation, whereas better thermal and mechanical properties were obtained through styrene‐mediated sulfonation in comparison with the direct sulfonation process. PBE had shown higher degree of sulfonation and percentage grafting than POE. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 8023–8040, 2008     

Gamma irradiation induced preparation of poly(acrylamide–itaconic acid)/zirconium hydrous oxide for removal of Cs-134 radionuclide and methylene blue

Adsorption experiments were carried out to investigate the removal of Cs-134 radionuclide and methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solution using poly(acrylamide–itaconic acid)/N,N′-methelyenediacrylamide/zirconium hydrous oxide composite [poly(AM–IA)/DAM/Zr(OH)₄] as an adsorbent. The effects of initial pH value, initial concentration of Cs or MB, adsorbent dose, contact time and temperature on adsorption were investigated. Characterization of the prepared composite was carried out using FT-IR, XRD, TGA, DTA, and SEM. The adsorption behaviors showed that the adsorption kinetics and isotherms were in good agreement with the pseudo-second-order and the Langmuir models indicating the chemosorption mechanism. Thermodynamic studies were carried out and it was found that the process was spontaneous exothermic in nature. Discussion of the results of the adsorption behavior showed that the prepared composite can be used as a promising adsorbent for removal of Cs-134 or MB.     

Enhanced conductivity in polyanion-containing polybenzimidazoles. Improved materials for proton-exchange membranes and PEM fuel cells

In an effort to develop improved Proton Exchange Membranes for Polymeric Fuel cells two different forms of polyanion inclusion in poly(2,5-benzimidazole) (ABPBI) have been carried out. Namely by (i) sulfonation of pre-formed polymer membranes and (ii) by addition of inorganic phosphomolybdic acid to form hybrid ABPBI–PMo₁₂ membranes. In both cases we have detected an increased proton conductivity of the resulting membranes, associated to an enhanced capacity of the polyanion-modified materials to uptake phosphoric acid (in comparison with previously known ABPBI or even commercial PBI membranes). These new membranes are stable up to 200 °C and feature high conductivities at these temperatures, which makes them promising candidates for higher-temperature PEM Fuel Cells.     

Structural investigation of polystyrene grafted and sulfonated poly(tetrafluoroethylene) membranes

Structural investigation of polystyrene grafted and sulfonated poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) membranes prepared by radiation-induced grafting of styrene onto commercial PTFE films and subsequent sulfonation was carried out by differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction. The effect of the structural changes taking place in the membranes during the preparation procedure (grafting and sulfonation) and the variation of the degree of grafting on melting temperature (T_m), glass transition temperature (T_g), heat of melting (ΔH_m), and degree of crystallinity was studied. The melting temperature (T_m) was found to be independent of the degree of grafting unlike glass transition temperature (T_g), which was found to be a function of the degree of grafting. Moreover, the degree of crystallinity of the membranes was found to decrease with the increase in the degree of grafting. The results of this work suggest that grafting takes place in the entire amorphous region without any significant disruption in the crystalline structure of PTFE film and the decrease in the degree of crystallinity is mainly attributed to the dilution effect.     

Plasma polymers containing sulfonate groups

Modification of plasma-polymers prepared from phenylsilane with sulfur trioxide was investigated by FT/IR spectroscopy and ESCA. The sulfonation of phenyl groups in the plasma-polymers occurred rapidly within 1 min when exposed to SO₃ gas. The S/C and O/C atomic ratios determined by ESCA for the modified polymers were 0.13₈ and 0.41₈, respectively. The sulfonation made the plasma-polymers electrically conductive. The conductivity was sensitive to moist atmosphere. The logarithm of the impedance at 120 Hz decreased linearly with increasing the relative humidity. The plasma-films containing sulfonate groups may be a new material for moisture sensor devices.     

Cyclo- and Cyclized Diene Polymers. XIX. Polymerization of Butadiene with the C2H5AlCl2 + TiCl4 Catalyst

Abstract

The polymerization of butadiene with an EtAlCl₂-TiCl₄ catalyst system yields cyclopolybutadiene with varying amounts of trans-1, 4 units, depending upon the Al/Ti ratio and the solvent. Apparently different active centers are produced at Ti > Al and Al > Ti ratios. When the catalyst system has Ti > Al, there is a rapid decrease in the initial polymerization rate and the cyclopoly butadiene contains large amounts of methyl groups, 10–12% of trans-1, 4 units, 2–3% of 1, 2 units, and, when the polymerization is carried out in aromatic solvents, aromatic moieties are incorporated in the structure. When the catalyst system has Al > Ti, there is a very slow decrease of the initial polymerization rate, and the cyclopoly butadiene contains up to 40% of trans-1, 4 units, less than 1% of 1, 2 units, and methyl groups and solvent moieties are essentially absent even when the polymerization is carried out in aromatic solvents. Cocatalytic amounts of iodine greatly increase the initial rate of polymerization. The Ti > Al catalyst may promote 1, 3-cation-radical propagation with transoid monomer to yield a perhydrophenanthrene structure while the Al > Ti catalyst may promote 1,2 cation-radical propagation with cisoid monomer to yield a perhydroanthracene structure.     

Sulfobutylated Lignosulfonate with Ultrahigh Sulfonation Degree and Its Dispersion Property in Low-Rank Coal-Water Slurry

Using a simple method, we developed a new family of alkyl sulfonic acid modified lignosulfonate (ASLSs) with simultaneously improved sulfonation degrees and molecular weights via one step. Direct sulfonation occurred on both phenolic and alcoholic hydroxyl groups of alkali lignin raw material with 1,4-butylenesulfone used as sulfonation agent. A sulfonation degree of 3.86 mmol/g had been achieved which presents as one of the highest sulfonation degrees among those of reported LSs, to date. ¹H-NMR and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy measurements confirmed the efficient sulfonation. Furthermore, the dispersion properties were investigated in low-rank coal-water slurry (CWS). ASLS3 showed better viscosity-reduction effect than naphthalene sulfonate formaldehyde condensate (FDN) in CWS with dosages from 0.6% to 1.0 wt%. ASLS3 had the similar sulfonation degree with FDN; however, the large steric hindrance, soft long alkyl chain-C₄H₈-SO₃H, and their efficient anchoring effect of ASLSs contributed to their improved dispersion properties.     

Separation of strontium and yttrium in nitric acid solutions using zirconium titanium phosphate and Dowex exchangers

Sulfonated ion irradiated (H⁺ and He²⁺) PEEK films were synthesized with a range of cross-linking density and a variety of sulfonation degrees. Batch adsorption experiments were carried out at an initial pH of 6.0 ± 0.2, initial concentrations of Pb²⁺ and ¹³⁷Cs ions of 10.0 mg L⁻¹ and 5500 Bq L⁻¹, respectively. The maximum adsorption capacity was 60 mg g⁻¹ for Pb²⁺, and the distribution coefficient reached 6200 cm³ g⁻¹ for ¹³⁷Cs. The results indicated that sulfonation could be used to recycle low cross-linked PEEK and prepare efficient adsorbents to remove toxic Pb²⁺ and ¹³⁷Cs from polluted aqueous solutions.

     

What is Best Strategy for Water Soluble Fluorescence Dyes?—A Case Study Using Long Fluorescence Lifetime DAOTA Dyes**

The lipophilic nature of organic dyes complicates their effectiveness in aqueous solutions. In this work we investigate three different strategies for achieving water-solubility of the diazaoxatriangulenium (DAOTA⁺) chromophore: hydrophilic counter ions, aromatic sulfonation of the chromophore, and attachment of charged side chains. The long fluorescence lifetime (FLT, τ_f=20 ns) of DAOTA⁺ makes it a sensitive probe to analyze solvation and aggregation effects. Direct sulfonation of the chromophore was found to increase solubility drastically, but at the cost of greatly reduced quantum yields (QYs) due to enhanced non-radiative deactivation processes. The introduction of either cationic (4) or zwitterionic side chains (5), however, brings the FLT (τ_f=18 ns) and QY (ϕ_f=0.56) of the dye to the same level as the parent chromophore in acetonitrile. Time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy also reveals a high resistance to aggregation and non-specific binding in a high loading of bovine serum albumin (BSA). The results clearly show that addition of charged flexible side chains is preferable to direct sulfonation of the chromophore core.     

Sulfonated poly(naphthoylenebenzimidazole) and its modification with an alkali metal cation

A method for sulfonation of poly(naphthoylenebenzimidazole) with oleum–sulfuric acid mixture to produce sulfonated poly(naphthoylenebenzimidazole)s (SPNBIs) with different content of–SO₃H groups has been developed. SPNBIs containing ≥5% sulfur are soluble in NMP and form stable solutions. It has been revealed that viscosity of SPNBI solutions in NMP increases on decreasing concentration when the content of polar sulfonic groups enhances with sulfonation degree of the initial polymer. Thus, SPNBI shows the polyelectrolyte effect. The substitution of hydrogen atoms in sulfonic groups by an alkali metal ion, potassium, has been conducted by the treatment of SPNBI powders with 5 M KOH aqueous solution under heterogeneous conditions. Potassium salts of SPNBI are insoluble in NMP. The introduction of potassium ions into SPNBI leads to the preparation of ionomers with a thermal stability higher than that of the initial PNBI.     

Composition dependence of glass transition temperature of sulfonated-polystrene ionomers

The glass transition temperatures of alkali (Na, K, Rb, Cs) and alkaline-earth (Ba, Sr, Ca, Mg) ionomers of sulfonated polystyrenes (PSSA) with 3.4, 6.9, 12.7, and 16.7% of the styrene moieties sulfonated are reported. For the alkali-metal PSSA ionomers, T_g depends on the degree of sulfonation, at least up to 13%, but not strongly on the nature of the cation. For the alkaline-earth analogs T_g does not depend strongly on either the cation or the degree of sulfonation until the 16.7% level is reached. These and other reported data are discussed in terms of the role of cations in determining morphology.     

In viva PHOTODYNAMIC EFFECTS OF PHTHALOCYANINES IN A SKIN-FOLD OBSERVATION CHAMBER MODEL: ROLE OF CENTRAL METAL ION AND DEGREE OF SULFONATION

Six sulfonated metallophthalocyanines, chelated with either aluminum or zinc and sulfonated to different degrees, were studied in vivo for their photodynamic activity in a rat skin-fold chamber model. The chamber, located on the back of female WAG/Rij rats, contained a syngeneic mammary carcinoma implanted into a layer of subcutaneous tissue. Twenty-four hours after intravenous administration of 2.5 μmol/kg of one of the dyes, the chambers received a treatment light dose of 600 J/cm² with monochromatic light of 675 nm at a power density of 100 mW/ cm². During light delivery and up to a period of 7 days after treatment, vascular effects of tumor and normal tissue were scored. Tumor cell viability was determined by histology and by reimplantation of the chamber contents into the skin of the same animal, either 2 h after treatment or after the 7 day observation period. Vascular effects of both tumor and subcutaneous tissue were strongest with dyes with the lowest degree of sulfonation and decreased with increasing degree of sulfonation. Tumor regrowth did not occur with aluminum phthalocyanine mono- and disulfonate and with zinc phthalocyanine monosulfonate. With the protocol that was used, complete necrosis without recovery was only observed when reimplantation took place at the end of the 7 day follow-up period. Reimplantation 2 h after treatment always resulted in tumor regrowth. At this interval, the presence of viable tumor cells was confirmed histologically. In general tumor tissue vasculature was more susceptible to photodynamic damage than vasculature of the normal tissue. The effect on the circulation of both tumor and normal tissue increased with decreasing degree of sulfonation. Based on this study, the photodynamic effects using the six sulfonated metallophthalocyanines on the vasculature can be ranked from high to low as: AlPcS₂= ZnPcS₁ > AIPcS₁ > AIPcS₄ > ZnPcS₂ > ZnPcS₄.     

Lattice dynamics with second neighbor interactions. II. Green's formula

A satisfactory definition of spectral density for the normal modes of lattice dynamics problems requires the study of singular recurrence relations which is carried out in detail for one-dimensional chains with pth neighbor interactions. The relationship of transfer matrices to the dynamical matrix is explored in order to obtain Green's formula. By using Green's formula, a mapping is defined between V_n, whose basis is formed from the normal modes of vibration of an n-particle chain, and V_2p, which is the space of boundary conditions for the recurrsion equations. Most of the properties of this mapping may be deduced from a symplectic bilinear form in V_2p which is associated with the Hermitean inner product in V_n. This symplectic form defines a geometry which is invariant under the recursion relation, as well as canonical initial and boundary conditions, and a maximal isotropic subspace which may be used to determine square summability of the normal modes and the spectral density in the limit as the number of particles becomes infinite.     

Synthesis of novel proton‐conducting highly sulfonated polybenzimidazoles for PEMFC and the effect of the type of bisphenyl bridge on polymer and membrane properties

Six series of novel highly sulfonated polybenzimidazoles (sPBIs) with high molecular weight were prepared by direct polycondensation between 3,3′‐diaminobenzidine and original multisulfonated dinuclear dicarboxylic acids containing bridging ether, sulfone, and hexafluoroisopropylidene moieties. All reactions were carried out in polyphosphoric acid, which acts as both solvent and catalyst. The degree of sulfonation was modulated in the final products by varying the proportion of sulfonated to nonsulfonated dicarboxylic acids used in the synthesis. The high purity of the disulfonated and tetrasulfonated monomers allows wholly sulfonated homopolymers to be obtained. Confirmation of the chemical structure and the degree of sulfonation were derived from ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Inherent viscosity was estimated as between 0.70 and 5.33 dL g^?1 for sPBIs with ion exchange capacity in the range 0.87–4.68 mequiv g^?1. Dynamic thermogravimetric analysis in air showed no weight loss below 350 °C (heating rate 5 °C min^?1). The nature of the bisphenyl bridge has clear influence on the water uptake and proton conduction properties of the resulting sPBI membranes, with hexafluoroisopropylidene links providing materials of highest conductivity as well as favoring film‐forming characteristics. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011