Polymerization studies on allylic compounds. IV. Methallylic compounds

The free-radical polymerization of a series of 2-methyl-3-substituted propenes was investigated. These compounds were found to homopolymerize with difficulty to give low molecular weight polymers. Their effect upon the polymerization of methyl methacrylate and styrene was investigated by rate and viscosity measurements. Copolymerizations occurred with a retarding action attributed to pronounced chain transfer reactions.     

Polymerization photoinitiated by carbonyl compounds. IV. α-diketones and α-substituted alkanones

The photoinitiation efficiency of the free-radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate and styrene by several carbonly compounds has been determined. The compounds considered were α-substituted ketones and α-dicarbonyl compounds. For the ketones, the initiation efficiency employing methyl methacrylate depends on the α substitution; the values obtained change from less than 10^?3 (acetone) to 0.65 (3-hydroxy-3-methyl-2-butanone). All ketones are more efficient towards methyl methacrylate than styrene. This result can be explained in terms of triplet quenching by the last monomer. The results obtained employing α-dicarbonyl compounds do not conform to a simple pattern. In particular, benzil shows a considerably larger efficiency towards styrene than for methyl methacrylate. Since benzil is efficiently quenched by styrene, the initiation must involve the interaction of an excited benzil molecule and the monomer.     

Syntheses of methyl α-dl-mycaminoside, methyl α-dl-oleandroside, methyl β-dl-cymaroside, methyl α-dl-tyveloside and methyl α-dl-chromoside C

Five rare hexoses, which are components of antibiotics or cardiac glycosides, have been synthesized as methyl glycosides through a common intermediate methyl 2,3-dehydro-2,3,6-trideoxy-α-dl glucopyranoside (7). Epoxidation and subsequent treatment with dimethylamine of7 afforded methyl α-dl-mycaminoside (9). The addition reaction of MeOH to12 gave methyl α-dl-oleandroside (15) and methyl β-dl-cymaroside (17). The hydroxymercuration and subsequent reduction of12 afforded methyl α-dl-chromoside C (19) and methyl β-dl-tyveloside (25).     

Polymerization studies on allylic compounds. V. 2-chloropropenes

The free-radical polymerization of three 2-chloro-3-substituted propenes have been investigated. Compounds studied were 2,3-dichloropropane, 2-chloro-3-hydroxypropene, and 2-chloro-3-acetoxypropene. These compounds were found to homopolymerize with difficulty to give low molecular weight polymers. Their effect upon the polymerization of methyl methacrylate and styrene was investigated by rate and viscosity measurements. Copolymerization occurred with a retarding action attributed to significant chain transfer processes and differences in monomer reactivities.     

Thermal properties of some hydrogenated poly(α-methyl styrenes)

The Synthesis of poly(isopropenyl cyclohexane) via the hydrogenation of poly(α-methyl styrene) is described. Depending on the reaction time and catalyst system a homopolymer or a copolymer is obtained. Under the conditions of synthesis both materials are highly syndiotactic. For the pure hydrogenated homopolymer (>99.9%) the glass transition temperature was found to be 185.4°C, about 20°C above T_g of poly(α-ethyl styrene). Contrary to expectations, the glass transitions of the 92/8, 33/67 poly(isopropenyl cyclohexane-co-methyl styrene) and poly(α-methyl styrene) are almost identical, as are the decomposition temperature ranges. Thermal data indicate that the decomposition mechanism of the copolymers and hydrogenated homopolymer is random scission. The thermogravimetric curves also indicate that the copolymers are random. Thus, chain stiffness appears not to increase rapidly with hydrogenation of this highly syndiotactic polymer.     

Stereoregularity of poly(methyl α-chloroacrylate)

Triad and tetrad tacticities of poly(methyl α-chloroacrylate) and poly(methyl α-chloroacrylate-β-d₁) were determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Methyl α-chloroacrylate-β-d₁ and its polymer were first synthesized. Isotactic poly(methyl α-chloroacrylate) was prepared with ethylmagnesium chloride-benzal-acetophenone in combination as catalyst. The syndiotacticity of radically polymerized polymers increased with decreasing polymerization temperature. For radical polymerization, enthalpy and entropy differences between isotactic and syndiotactic additions were calculated to give ΔH ? ΔH = 850 cal/mole and ΔS ? ΔS = 0.93 eu. The stereoregularity of the polymer prepared with phenylmagnesium bromide catalyst was analyzed in fairly good agreement with first-order Markov statistics, while polymerization with fluorenyllithium seems predominantly to proceed by a mechanism similar to free-radical mechanism. Stereoregularity-controlling power for individual substituents is briefly discussed.     

Lactone polymers. III. Polymerization of ε-caprolactone

Polymerization of ε-caprolactone catalyzed by dibutylzine and triisobutylaluminum has been examined. Monomer conversion and polymer molecular weight increase simultaneously during the polymerization suggesting a living polymer system. Also, molecular weight is proportional to the reciprocal of catalyst concentration. However, the polymer molecular weights are three to five times that which would be calculated from the catalyst concentration assuming a living polymer system. In addition, fractionation of poly-ε-caprolactone prepared with dibutylzinc revealed that the distribution is considerably broader than expected for a Poisson distribution. While no mechanistic explanation for the broad molecular weight distribution observed has been defined, examination of the metal alkyl-catalyzed polylactones shows that the molecular weight distributions can and do change with time. This change is due to an ester interchange process occurring subsequent to polymerization. This phenomenon can be used to change the molecular weight distribution from very broad to the most probable distribution.     

Polymerization of α-methylene-N-methylpyrrolidone

α-Methylene-N-methylpyrrolidone (α-MMP) was synthesized and homopolymerized by bulk and solution methods. The poly(α-MMP) is readily soluble in water, methanol, methylene chloride, and dipolar aprotic solvents at room temperature. Thermogravimetric analysis of poly(α-MMP) showed a 10% weight loss at 330°C in air. The kinetics of α-MMP homopolymerization and copolymerization were investigated in acetonitrile, using azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as an initiator. The rate of polymerization R_p could be expresed by R_p = k[AIBN]^0.49[α-MMP]^1.3. The overall activation energy was calculated to be 84.1 kj/mol. The relative reactivity ratios of α-MMP (M₂) copolymerization with methyl methacrylate (r₁ = 0.59, r₂ = 0.26) in acetonitrile were obtained. Applying the Q-e scheme led to Q = 2.18 and e = 1.77. These Q and e values are larger than those for acrylamide derivatives.     

Poly-α-ester degradation studies. III. Effect of β-chlorination on polymer degradation

The thermal degradation of two β-chlorinated versions of poly(isopropylidene carboxylate) has been studied by the combined thermogravimetric and gas evolution techniques described previously. Poly(3-chloro-2-methyl-2-hydroxypropionic acid) was found to decompose by a predominantly first-order process which was characterized by kinetic parameters similar to those obtained for poly(isopropylidene carboxylate). These are interpreted in terms of an intramolecular ester-exchange process. As the reaction proceeds intermolecular elimination of hydrogen chloride leads to crosslinking and ultimately to the formation of a carbonaceous char. This process is much more marked in the randomly β-chlorinated analog of poly(isopropylidene carboxylate). With this polymer, drastic deviation from first-order behavior is observed in thermogravimetric results, even in the early stages of reaction. Gas evolution analysis, being more influenced by degradation fragments having an appreciable vapor pressure, yields reasonable first-order data and indicates that the intramolecular interchange mechanism is still an important process. In general, the introduction of β-chlorine atoms is seen to reduce the rate of thermal decomposition of poly-α-esters.     

Thermal degradation of poly(methyl α-phenylacrylate)

Volatile products, molecular weight changes, and rates of volatilization have been examined during the thermal decomposition of poly(methyl α-phenylacrylate) in vacuum at 210–280°C. In the early stages of the decomposition, initiation occurs at random within the polymer backbone to give radicals which unzip exclusively to monomer, with a kinetic chain length of about 500. Later in the reaction, chain-end initiation becomes important and predominates beyond about 45% conversion. There is no evidence that transfer reactions occur during the degradation.     

A new preparation of substituted 4H-1-benzothiopyran-4-ones from c(α)N-benzoylhydrazones or c(α)N-carboalkoxyhydrazones and methyl thiosalicylate

C(α)N-Benzoylhydrazones or C(α),N-carboalkoxyhydrazones were dilithiated with excess lithium diisopropylamide, and the dianion-type intermediates were condensed with lithiated methyl thiosalicylate, followed by cyclization/hydrolysis to substituted 4H-1-benzothiopyran-4-ones (thioflavones/thiochromones).     

Polymerization of methyl methacrylate using bis(β‐ketoamino)nickel(II)–MAO catalytic systems

The polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) was investigated using a series of bis(β‐ketoamino)nickel(II) complexes in combination with methylaluminoxane in toluene solution. The binary catalyst is necessary for initiating MMA polymerization and producing PMMA with high molecular weights but broad molecular weight distributions. The effects of reaction temperature and Al:Ni molar ratios on the polymerization of MMA were examined in detail. Both steric bulk and electronic effects of the substituents around the imino group in the ligand on MMA polymerization activities could be observed. Relative to electronic effects, the steric hindrance of the ligands displayed a more significant effect on the catalytic activities, with the catalytic activity sequence observed in the order 4 > 1 > 2 > 3 > 5 > 6. Structural analyses of the polymers by ¹³C NMR spectra indicate that polymerization yields PMMA with a syndiotactic‐rich atactic microstructure. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Radical copolymerization of acrylic monomers. VIII. Copolymerization of methyl methacrylate with methyl α-p-chlorobenzylacrylate and methyl methacrylate with methyl α-p-methoxybenzylacrylate

Free-radical copolymerization of methyl methacrylate with methyl α-p-chlorobenzylacrylate and methyl methacrylate with methyl α-p-methoxybenzylacrylate have been studied in benzene solution at 40°C. Although a simple copolymerization model fits the composition data, the kinetic behavior of both copolymerization systems are analyzed from simple and reversible copolymerization models, taking into account the relatively low ceiling temperature of both methyl α-(p-substituted benzyl)acrylates and considering that the overall rate of copolymerization drastically decreases with the increase of the corresponding methyl α-(p-substituted benzyl)acrylate molar fraction in the feed.