Ligated anionic block copolymerization of methyl methacrylate with n-butyl acrylate and n-nonyl acrylate as promoted by lithium 2-(2-methoxyethoxy) ethoxide/diphenylmethyllithium

Poly(methyl methacrylate-b-n-butyl acrylate) (PMMA-b-Pn-BuA) and poly(methyl methacrylate-b-n-nonyl acrylate) (PMMA-b-Pn-NonA) diblock copolymers have been successfully synthesized by the sequential anionic polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and the n-alkyl acrylate (n-BuA or n-NonA), in a 90/10 toluene/tetrahydrofuran (THF) mixture at −78°C. When diphenylmethyllithium (DPMLi) ligated with lithium 2-(2-methoxyethoxy) ethoxide (LiOEEM) is used as the initiator, the polymerization of each block appears to be living. Molecular weight and composition of block copolymers can be predicted from the monomer over initator molar ratio and the molecular weight distribution is narrow. Size exclusion chromatography (SEC) supports that no homo-PMMA contaminates the final copolymer. Although the reverse polymerization sequence Pn-NonA-b-PMMA always results in some contamination by homo-Pn-NonA, it has no really significant effect on the final product characteristics. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 1543–1548, 1997     

Kinetic studies on the n-alkyl acrylate polymerization

Kinetic studies on the polymerization of n-butyl acrylate and n-octadecyl acrylate in toluene at 70°C with benzoyl peroxide as initiator are reported. High monomer orders of 1.55 and 1.75 were obtained for n-butyl and n-octadecyl acrylates, respectively. Though the initiator order in butyl acrylate polymerization was 0.5, the octadecyl acrylate polymerization showed less than square root initiator order. The activation energy for the polymerization of both the acrylates was determined. Autoacceleration was found even at low conversions. The autoacceleration was influenced by both monomer and initiator concentration. Molecular weight data was presented in support of the gel effect. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Effect of DMSO used as solvent in copper mediated living radical polymerization

The use of DMSO as solvent for transition metal mediated living radical polymerization was investigated using copper (I) bromide/N‐(n‐propyl)‐2‐pyridyl‐methanimine catalyst system and ethyl‐2‐bromoisobutyrate as initiator. The best conditions for polymerization in DMSO of different methacrylates (MMA, BMA, DMAEMA, HEMA) were determined. In all cases, the measured number‐average molar mass of the product increased linearly with monomer conversion in agreement with the theoretical M_n with low polydispersity products (1.16 < PDI < 1.4) achieved. Solvent was found to play a crucial role in the process. The effect of the polar solvent has been investigated and it was shown that DMSO could coordinate copper (II), increasing the activation process, or copper (I), changing the nature of the copper catalyst by competitive complexation of ligand and DMSO. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 6299–6308, 2004     

Aqueous polymerization of ethyl acrylate initiated by ceric ion-reducing agent system in sulphuric acid medium

Kinetic study of aqueous polymerization of ethyl acrylate (EA) is carried out at 30 °C in dilute sulphuric acid medium by employing ammonium ceric sulphate–methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) as redox initiator system. The ceric ion consumption is found to be first order with respect to ceric ion and half order with respect to reducing agent concentrations. No complex formation between ceric ion and reducing agent is observed. The orders with respect to ceric ion, reducing agent and monomer concentrations are evaluated for the aqueous polymerization of EA by Ce(IV)–MEK redox initiator system, and are found to be 0.5, 0.5 and 1.4, respectively . The overall activation energy, E _overall, for aqueous polymerization of EA in the temperature region of 27–40°C is found to be 20.27 kJ/mol. A kinetic scheme for the aqueous polymerization of EA initiated by Ce(IV)–MEK redox initiator system is presented.This revised version was published online in June 2005 with corrections to figure legends as well as small corrections within text.     

Study on soap‐free P(MMA‐EA‐AA or MAA) latex particles with narrow size distribution

Soap‐free poly(methyl methacrylate‐ethyl acrylate‐acrylic acid or methacrylic acid) [P(MMA‐EA‐AA or MAA)] particles with narrow size distribution were synthesized by seeded emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA), ethyl acrylate (EA) and acrylic acid (AA) or methacrylic acid (MAA), and the influences of the mass ratio of core/shell monomers used in the two stages of polymerization ([C/S]_w) and initiator amount on polymerization, particle size and its distribution were investigated by using different monomer addition modes. Results showed that when the batch swelling method was used, the monomer conversion was more than 96.0% and particle size distribution was narrow, and the particle size increased first and then remained almost unchanged at around 600 nm with the [C/S]_w decreased. When the drop‐wise addition method was used, the monomer conversion decreased slightly with [C/S]_w decreased, and large particles more than 750 nm in diameter can be obtained; with the initiator amount increased, the particle size decreased and the monomer conversion had a trend to increase; the particle size distribution was broader and the number of new particles was more in the AA system than in the MAA system; but the AA system was more stable than the MAA system at both low and high initiator amount. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Grafting onto Wool. XXVI. Graft Copolymerization of Vinyl Monomers by Use of Cr(acac)3-TBHP as Initiator

Methyl methacrylate (MMA), methyl acrylate (MA), and ethyl acrylate (EA) have been graft copolymerized onto wool fiber in aqueous medium using the chromium acetylacetonate-tertiary-butyl hydroperoxide (Cr(acac)₃-TBHP) system as initiator. The percentage of grafting has been determined as a function of the concentrations of monomer, chelate, and TBHP, and the time and temperature under optimum conditions. MMA produced a maximum grafting of 119.8%, MA produced a maximum grafting of 56%, while EA afforded maximum grafting to the extent of 41.9%. Different vinyl monomers were found to follow the following reactivity order toward grafting onto wool fiber in the presence of the Cr(acac)₃-TBHP system: MMA > MA > EA.     

Synthesis of poly(glycerol)‐block‐poly(methyl acrylate) multi‐arm star polymers

Novel polyfunctional macroinitiators for atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) were obtained via esterification of hyperbranched polyglycerol (PG) (M_n = 4 770 g/mol, M_w/M_n = 1.5) with 2‐bromoisobutyryl bromide. Such macroinitiators were used in the presence of CuBr/pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (PMDETA) to initiate methyl acrylate (MA) polymerization, resulting in multi‐arm block copolymers with polyether core and 45–55 PMA arms. PMA arm length was controlled via monomer/initiator ratio and conversion (< 35%). Polymers were characterized by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, SEC, membrane osmometry and DSC.     

2-vinyloxy ethyl phthalimide polymerization initiated by 1-(isobutoxy) ethyl acetate in the presence of ethyl aluminum dichloride and either ethyl acetate or ethyl benzoate

2-Vinyloxy ethyl phthalimide (ImVE) was polymerized using 1-(isobutoxy) ethyl acetate as the initiator in the presence of ethyl aluminum dichloride and either ethyl acetate or ethyl benzoate. The resulting polymers have a narrow molecular weight distribution, and their molecular weight can be controlled within a narrow range by varying the monomer and initiator concentrations. Diblock copolymers with n-butyl vinyl ether can also be formed. The behavior of the polymerization is consistent with a living cationic mechanism. A brief comparison of the title system with other initiating systems is also presented. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Atom transfer radical polymerization of n‐butyl acrylate catalyzed by CuBr/N‐(n‐hexyl)‐2‐pyridylmethanimine

The homogeneous atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of n‐butyl acrylate with CuBr/N‐(n‐hexyl)‐2‐pyridylmethanimine as a catalyst and ethyl 2‐bromoisobutyrate as an initiator was investigated. The kinetic plots of ln([M]₀/[M]) versus the reaction time for the ATRP systems in different solvents such as toluene, anisole, N,N‐dimethylformamide, and 1‐butanol were linear throughout the reactions, and the experimental molecular weights increased linearly with increasing monomer conversion and were very close to the theoretical values. These, together with the relatively narrow molecular weight distributions (polydispersity index ～ 1.40 in most cases with monomer conversion > 50%), indicated that the polymerization was living and controlled. Toluene appeared to be the best solvent for the studied ATRP system in terms of the polymerization rate and molecular weight distribution among the solvents used. The polymerization showed zero order with respect to both the initiator and the catalyst, probably because of the presence of a self‐regulation process at the beginning of the reaction. The reaction temperature had a positive effect on the polymerization rate, and the optimum reaction temperature was found to be 100 °C. An apparent enthalpy of activation of 81.2 kJ/mol was determined for the ATRP of n‐butyl acrylate, corresponding to an enthalpy of equilibrium of 63.6 kJ/mol. An apparent enthalpy of activation of 52.8 kJ/mol was also obtained for the ATRP of methyl methacrylate under similar reaction conditions. Moreover, the CuBr/N‐(n‐hexyl)‐2‐pyridylmethanimine‐based system was proven to be applicable to living block copolymerization and living random copolymerization of n‐butyl acrylate with methyl methacrylate. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 3549–3561, 2002     

New initiator system for the anionic polymerization of (meth)acrylates in toluene. IV. Random copolymerization of (meth)acrylates in toluene initiated by s-BuLi ligated by lithium silanolates

Copolymerization of binary mixtures of alkyl (meth)acrylates has been initiated in toluene by a mixed complex of lithium silanolate  (s-BuMe₂SiOLi) and s-BuLi (molar ratio > 21) formed in situ by reaction of s-BuLi with hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane (D₃). Fully acrylate and methacrylate copolymers, i.e., poly(methyl acrylate-co-n-butyl acrylate), poly(methyl methacrylate-co-ethyl methacrylate), poly(methyl methacrylate-co-n-butyl methacrylate), poly(methyl methacrylate-co-n-butyl methacrylate), poly(isobornyl methacrylate-co-n-butyl methacrylate), poly(isobornyl methacrylate-co-n-butyl methacrylate) of a rather narrow molecular weight distribution have been synthesized. However, copolymerization of alkyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate pairs has completely failed, leading to the selective formation of homopoly(acrylate). As result of the isotactic stereoregulation of the alkyl methacrylate polymerization by the s-BuLi/s-BuMe₂SiOLi initiator, highly isotactic random and block copolymers of (alkyl) methacrylates have been prepared and their thermal behavior analyzed. The structure of isotactic poly(ethyl methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate) copolymers has been analyzed in more detail by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 2525–2535, 1999     

Preparation and characterization of graft copolymerization of ethyl acrylate onto hydroxypropyl methylcellulose in aqueous medium

Graft copolymerization of ethyl acrylate (EA) onto water-soluble hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) was investigated with potassium persulfate (KPS) as initiator in an aqueous medium. The effects of monomer concentration, initiator concentration, matrix concentration, reaction temperature, reaction time and pre-interacting time in terms of percentage of grafting (G) and grafting efficiency (G _E) are discussed. The graft copolymers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). In addition, equilibrium humidity adsorption behavior of the pure grafted copolymers was also studied.     

Copolymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate with alkyl acrylates

Copolymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) with methylacrylate (MA), ethylacrylate (EA), n-butylacrylate (BA) and methylmethacrylate (MMA) were studied in bulk at 60° using benzoyl peroxide as initiator. The monomer reactivity ratios were determined using several methods and are briefly discussed.     

醇溶性聚丙烯酸酯乳液的合成及性能研究

以丙烯酸乙酯(EA)、甲基丙烯酸甲酯(MMA)和甲基丙烯酸(MAA)为主单体,采用过硫酸盐作引发剂,经预乳化乳液聚合工艺合成了聚丙烯酸酯乳液.讨论了乳化剂种类、单体种类以及功能性单体、引发剂加入工艺对乳液聚合过程及乳液产品性能的影响.结果表明:单体组成为m(MMA)∶m(EA)∶m(MAA)=45∶40∶15所得乳液聚合物能满足使用性能要求;种子引发剂加入质量控制在单体总质量的0.3%,而总的引发剂用量占单体总质量的0.8%较适宜.用差热分析仪和凝胶渗透色谱仪对乳液聚合物进行了表征.     

Organocuprates as Initiators for Methyl Methacrylate Polymerization

Abstract

Polymerizations of methyl methacrylate initiated by organocuprates in tetrahydrofuran solution have been investigated. The heterocuprate lithium n-butylcyanocuprate was found to be an effective initiator at - 78°C, and lithium di-n-butylcuprate was confirmed as an effective initiator; both species give rapid polymerization to virtually complete conversion of monomer. Polydispersities (M_w/M_n ) are about 1.5. Polymerizations have an inherent termination reaction and a low initiator efficiency. Polymerization of methyl vinyl ketone is virtually uncontrollable, and polymerizations of methyl methacrylate are inhibited by styrene.     

GROUP TRANSFER POLYMERIZATION OF ETHYL ACRYLATE WITH LEWIS ACID CATALYST

This paper reports the kinetics of group transfer polymerization (GTP)of ethyl acrylate (EA)with zinc iodide catalyst in 1,2-dichloroethane using dimethyl ketene methyl trimethylsilyl acetal (MTS) as initiator at 0℃and above 0℃. The amount of catalyst used was studied. When zinc iodide catalyst used is more than 10mol% relative to monomer, the rate of polymerization is proportional to the concentration of monomer, whereas zinc iodide catalyst used is less than 10 mol% of the monomer, the rate of polymerization is independent of the monomer concentration.In the GTP of EA an induction period was observed when the zinc iodide contents are less than l0mol%. If the reaction temperature is over 0℃, living species become unstable and diminish, leading to incomplete monomer conversion. The reaction curves equations are obtained. The polymers have narrow molecular weight distributions which are not changed as decreasing zinc iodide contents. The polydispersity is about 1.2.     

Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP) of Ethyl Acrylate: Its Mechanistic Studies

Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of ethyl acrylate was carried out in bulk using ethyl 2-bromoisobutyrate as initiator, CuBr as well as CuCl as catalyst in combination with different ligands e.g., 2,2′ bipyridine (bpy)andN,N, N′,N″,N″-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (PMDETA). In most of the cases very high conversion (72–98%) was achieved. The polymerization was well controlled with a linear increase of molecular weight (M_n^SEC) with conversion and relatively narrow molecular weight distributions (polydispersity index 1.2–1.3). Use of PMDETA as the ligand resulted in faster polymerization rate (98% conversion in 1 h) than those using bipyridine (72% conversion in 5 h). The MALDI-TOF-MS analysis of poly (ethyl acrylate) (PEA) prepared by using bpy as ligand showed the presence of halogen as the end group. On the contrary, when PMDETA was used as the ligand, the mass analysis showed no trace of this end group.     

Copolymers of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate and alkyl acrylates: Studies of molecular weight distribution and thermal behavior

Several copolymers of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) with methyl acrylate (MA), ethyl acrylate (EA), n-butyl acrylate (BA), and methyl methacrylate (MMA) were prepared at 70°C in nitrogen atmosphere using 0.2% (w/v) benzoyl peroxide as initiator. The copolymer composition was evaluated by estimation of hydroxyl group in the copolymers. Intrinsic viscosity of HEMA–EA, HEMA–BA, and HEMA–MMA copolymers was determined at 35°C in dimethyl formamide. Molecular weight distribution of copolymer samples was evaluated by gel permeation chromatography. Thermal behavior of the copolymers was investigated by dynamic thermogravimetry. Thermal stability decreased on increasing HEMA content in MA, EA, and BA copolymers. However, a reverse trend was observed in HEMA–MMA copolymers.     

Preparation of block copolymers of polystyrene and poly (t‐butyl acrylate) of various molecular weights and architectures by atom transfer radical polymerization

Block copolymers of polystyrene and poly(t‐butyl acrylate) were prepared using atom transfer radical polymerization techniques. These polymers were synthesized with a CuBr/N,N,N′,N″,N″‐pentamethyldiethylenetriamine catalyst system and had predictable molecular weights based on the degree of polymerization, as calculated from the initial ratio of monomer to initiator. The final polydispersities were low (1.10 < M_w /M_n < 1.3) for all the homopolymers and block copolymers. Polymers of various chain architectures were prepared, ranging from linear AB diblocks to three‐armed stars composed of AB diblocks on each arm. The key to controlled synthesis with this catalyst system was the choice of the solvent, temperature, and concentrations of catalyst and deactivator. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 2274–2283, 2000     

Radical polymerization of ethyl acrylate with dead end polymerization conditions

The radical polymerization of ethyl acrylate (EA) with 4,4^′-azobis(4-cyanovaleric)acid as initiator was investigated in propionitrile at 363 K in order to obtain carboxy-telechelic oligo(ethyl acrylate). The results of functionality and molecular weights showed that a transfer reaction had occurred. A molecular weight study was performed in order to show the importance of transfer to solvent due to the high reactivity of the EA radical. Finally, the radical polymerization was investigated at very low temperature (253-273 K), using a redox system initiation. A behavior of dead end polymerization was observed but the activation energy of propagation for EA is still high and does not allow the synthesis of a telechelic oligomer.     

Molecular sieves supported recyclable catalyst for atom transfer radical polymerization using hydration approach

Molecular Sieves (MS) were used as a recyclable support for atom transfer radical polymerization. The catalyst complex, CuBr₂/ligand was supported on hydrated MS and used for the polymerization of benzyl methacrylate at room temperature in anisole. The polymerization using CuBr₂/PMDETA (pentamethyl diethyltetraamine) catalyst that is physically held by the hydration of MS exhibited moderate control and produced catalyst free polymers (<0.1 ppm) with narrow molecular weight distribution (M_w/M_n ≤ 1.33). The polymerization occurred at the interface between the hydrated support and the solution containing initiator and monomer. The hydrated MS supported catalyst was recycled efficiently without a significant loss in activity. The polymerization proceeded in a “living”/controlled manner as was evident from first‐order time conversion plots. The split kinetics experiment affirmed that there was no propagation in the solution in the absence of the supported catalyst. The reaction order plot showed zero‐order dependence on the bulk initiator concentration in solution. The results of MS supported catalyst were compared to Na‐clay supported catalyst system and the improved results were attributed to high self‐diffusion coefficient and low diffusion activation energy of water on its surface. Published 2017.^§ J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55, 3875–3883