Copolymerization of dienes with neodymium tricarboxylate-based catalysts and cis-polymerization mechanism of dienes

It was found that poly(butadiene), poly(isoprene), and poly(2,3-dimethylbutadiene) with high cis-1,4 content were obtained with Nd(OCOR)₃–(i-Bu)₃Al–Et₂AlCl catalysts (R = CF₃, CCl₃, CHCl₂, CH₂Cl, CH₃) in hexane at 50°C [cis-1,4 content: poly(BD), > 98%; poly(IP), ≥ 96%; poly(DMBD), ≥ 94%]. Copolymerization of IP and styrene (St) was carried out at various monomer feed ratios to evaluate the monomer reactivity ratio and cis-1,4 content of the diene unit and then to elucidate the cis-1,4 polymerization mechanism of IP. The cis-1,4 content of the IP unit in the copolymers decreased with increasing St content in the copolymers. The cis-1,4 polymerization was disturbed by incorporating St unit in the copolymers, since the penultimate St unit hardly coordinates to the neodymium metal, resulting in a decrease of the cis-1,4 content in the copolymers. That is, the cis-1,4 polymerization of IP is suggested to be controlled by a back-biting coordination of the penultimate diene unit. On the other hand, in the case of poly(BD-co-IP) and poly(BD-co-DMBD), the cis-1,4 content of the BD, IP, and DMBD units in the copolymers was almost constant (cis: 94–98%), irrespective of the monomer feed ratios and polymerization temperature. Consequently, the penultimate IP and DMBD units favorably control the terminal BD, IP, or DMBD unit to the cis-1,4 configuration through the back-biting coordination. For the monomer reactivity ratios, a clear difference was observed in each system: r_BD = 1.22, r_IP = 1.14; r_BD = 40.9, r_DMBD = 0.15. Low polymerizability of DMBD was mainly ascribed to the steric effect of the methyl substituents. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 1707–1716, 1998     

Copolymerization of butadiene and styrene with a gadolinium tricarboxylate catalyst

Homo- and copolymerizations of butadiene (BD) and styrene (St) were carried out by gadolinium catalysts having various tricarboxylate ligands [Gd(OCOR)₃: R = CH₃, CH₂Cl, CHCl₂, CCl₃, and CF₃], to investigate the effects of ligands and discuss the cis polymerization mechanism. Polymerization of BD with Gd(OCOR)₃—(i—Bu)₃Al—Et₂AlCl catalysts was carried out in hexane at 50°C. By each catalyst, poly(BD) having a high cis content (cis = 97–99%) in 22–85% yields for 2–24 h were obtained. The ligands with low pKa values increased the polymerization activity as follows: R of Gd(OCOR)₃: CF₃ > CCl₃ > CHCl₂ > CH₂Cl ～ CH₃. On the other hand, in the polymerization of St or copolymerization of BD and St under similar conditions, the highest activity was attained by a Gd(OCOCCI₃)₃- based catalyst. The difference in the optimum ligand among the homo- and copolymerization of BD and St was discussed on the basis of energy levels of the catalysts. In the copolymers of BD and St, the cis-1,4 content of the BD unit decreased with increasing St content. Furthermore, according to the diad analysis of copolymers (St content ～ 14.5 mol %) by ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, the low cis value of the BD unit was observed in the St-BD diad (cis/trans/vinyl = 24/53/23), while the high cis value of the BD unit remained in the BD-BD diad (cis/trans/vinyl = 89/10/1). These results suggest that the terminal BD unit is controlled by the cis configuration by the coordination between the penultimate cis vinylene unit and the gadolinium metal catalyst, whereas the presence of the penultimate St unit interferes with cis polymerization of the terminal BD unit. The difference in the coordination mechanism in the course of polymerization between rare earth metal and transition metal catalysts such as the Ni(acac)₂ and Co(acac)₃-based catalyst was also discussed. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Copolymerization of styrene and butadiene with Ni(acac)2-methylaluminoxane catalyst

Copolymerization of styrene (St) and butadiene (Bd) with nickel(II) acetylacetonate [Ni(acac)₂]-methylaluminoxane (MAO) catalyst was investigated. Among the metal acetylacetonates [Mt(acac)_x] examined, Ni(acac)₂ showed a high activity for the copolymerization of St and Bd giving copolymers having high cis-1,4-microstructure in Bd units in the copolymer. The effect of alkylaluminum as a cocatalyst on the copolymerization of St and Bd with the Ni(acac)₂-MAO catalyst was observed, and MAO was found to be the most effective cocatalyst for the copolymerization. The monomer reactivity ratios for the copolymerization of St and Bd with the Ni(acac)₂-MAO catalyst were determined to be r_St = 0.07 and r_Bd = 3.6. Based on the obtained results, it was presumed that the random copolymers with high cis-1,4-microstructure in Bd units could be synthesized with the Ni(acac)₂-MAO catalyst without formation of each homopolymer. The polymerization mechanism with the Ni(acac)₂-MAO catalyst was also discussed. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 3838–3844, 1999     

Styrene/1,3‐butadiene copolymerization by C2‐symmetric group 4 metallocenes based catalysts

C₂‐symmetric group 4 metallocenes based catalysts (rac‐[CH₂(3‐tert‐butyl‐1‐indenyl)₂]ZrCl₂ (1) , rac‐[CH₂(1‐indenyl)₂]ZrCl₂ (2) and rac‐[CH₂(3‐tert‐butyl‐1‐indenyl)₂]TiCl₂ (3) ) are able to copolymerize styrene and 1,3‐butadiene, to give products with high molecular weight. In agreement with symmetry properties of metallocene precatalysts, styrene homosequences are in isotactic arrangements. Full determination of microstructure of copolymers was obtained by ¹³C NMR and FTIR analysis and it reveals that insertion of butadiene on styrene chain‐end happens prevailingly with 1,4‐trans configuration. In the butadiene homosequences, using zirconocene‐based catalysts, the 1,4‐trans arrangement is favored over 1,4‐cis, but the latter is prevailing in the presence of titanocene (3) . Diad composition analysis of the copolymers makes possible to estimate the reactivity ratios of copolymerization: zirconocenes (1) and (2) produced copolymers having r₁ × r₂ = 0.5 and 3.0, respectively (where 1 refers to styrene and 2 to butadiene); while titanocene (3) gave tendencially blocky styrene–butadiene copolymers (r₁ × r₂ = 8.5). The copolymers do not exhibit crystallinity, even when they contain a high molar fraction of styrene. Probably, comonomer homosequences are too short to crystallize (n_s = 16, in the copolymer at highest styrene molar fraction). © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 1476–1487, 2008     

Trans-stereospecific polymerization of butadiene and random copolymerization with styrene using borohydrido neodymium/magnesium dialkyl catalysts

The combination of a neodymium borohydride, Nd(BH₄)₃(THF)₃ (1) or Cp^*Nd(BH₄)₂(THF)_x (2), with MgⁿBuEt (BEM), affords an efficient and highly selective (up to 96.7% 1,4-trans) catalyst for butadiene polymerization. In the presence of excesses of Mg co-catalyst, polymer chain transfer takes place between neodymium and magnesium, and significant amounts of 1,2-units are observed. When considered for butadiene-styrene statistical copolymerization, the catalytic system based on 2 showed a good ability to produce poly[(1,4-trans-butadiene)-co-styrene)], with strong impact of the Mg/Nd ratio on the yield and on the copolymer microstructure, including the percentage of inserted styrene (up to 16.9 mol%). Whatever the co-monomers concentration the polybutadiene backbone remained 1,4-trans. The precise microstructure of the polymers and copolymers was thoroughly analyzed by means of high resolution NMR spectroscopy (900 MHz) and MALDI-ToF spectrometry.     

苯乙烯与富马酸二甲酯的原子转移自由基无规共聚

2-溴丙酸乙酯(EBP)为引发剂,CuBr为催化剂,N,N,N′,N″,N″-五甲基二亚乙基三胺(PMDETA)为配位剂的富马酸二甲酯(DMF)与苯乙烯(St)的原子转移自由基无规共聚合,转化率低于60％时,1n([M]0／[M])随聚合时间线性增加,数均分子量(Mn)随转化率性增长,所得聚合物分子量分布(PDI)较窄。根据元素分析所得共聚物的平均组成,由Kelerr—Tudos方程,计算两种共聚单体的竞聚率分别是rst=0．488,rDMF=0．303。并探讨了单体与引发剂配比以及温度对聚合反应的影响。     

聚合物载体-稀土金属配合物的研究ⅩⅦ聚(苯乙烯-4-乙烯基吡啶)钕配合物在丁二烯聚合中的催化行为

聚合物载体－稀土金属配合物的研究．聚（苯乙烯－４－乙烯基吡啶）钕配合物在丁二烯聚合中的催化行为李晓莉于广谦＊李玉良（中国科学院长春应用化学研究所长春１３００２２）关键词苯乙烯，乙烯基吡啶，共聚物，钕配合物，丁二烯聚合１９９６－０４－１１收稿，１９９６...     

Substituent effects in ethene/styrene copolymerization: Dormant state destabilization?

Homogeneous metallocene and CGC catalyzed copolymerizations of ethene (E) and various substituted styrenes are examined. It is found that those with p‐tert‐butylstyrene (TBS) occur with dramatically higher degrees of incorporation and overall productivity than those observed under the same conditions with styrene. It is argued that that the σ‐donating effect of the tert‐butyl substituent is responsible for this performance, effecting a destabilization of an otherwise dormant benzylic species following 2,1‐insertion of the styrene. It was found possible to produce what is essentially TBS‐alt‐E (44% TBS with no sequential TBS units) using a standard constrained geometry catalyst at impressively high productivity [1.5 × 10⁶ g/(mol_Ti.bar_E.h)] and unusually low concentration of TBS (0.7 M). © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 3111–3117, 2009     

Design of maleimide monomer for higher level of alternating sequence in radical copolymerization with styrene

This work deals with design of maleimide monomer toward more precise control of alternating sequence for radical copolymerization with styrene. Crucial in this study is sequence analysis by MALDI‐TOF‐MS for resultant copolymers that was obtained via ruthenium‐catalyzed living radical copolymerization with a malonate‐based alkyl halide initiator showing selective initiation ability. The copolymers of a simple N‐alkyl maleimide [e.g., N‐ethyl maleimide (EMI)] with styrene gave complicated peak patterns for the MALDI‐TOF‐MS spectra indicating low degree of alternating sequence, in contrary to expectation from the reactivity ratios (almost zero). A simple substitution of methyl group (CH₃) of EMI with trifluoromethyl (CF₃: CF₃‐MI) made the peak patterns much simpler giving the copolymer with higher alternating sequence. More interestingly, the peak interval of the copolymer at earlier polymerization stage was equal to sum of the molecular weights of CF₃‐MI and styrene, suggesting possibility of the pair propagation of the monomers. Indeed, ¹H NMR analyses of the mixture of maleimide with styrene suggested stronger interaction of CF₃‐MI than EMI. Based on the results, maleimide derivatives carrying a substituent‐designable electron‐withdrawing group [ROC(?O)N–: R = substituent] were newly designed toward incorporation of functional side chains. They also gave higher alternating sequence for the copolymerization with styrene. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019 , 57, 367–375     

Emulsion copolymerization of tribromophenyl maleimide with styrene

Emulsion copolymerization of Tribromophenyl Maleimide (TBPMI) and styrene was conducted by semi-batch and batch processes. The effects of monomer composition and copolymerization method on copolymerization rate, molecular weight and molecular weight distribution, latex particle size and size distribution, glass transition temperature (T_g), thermal stability and mechanical properties were investigated. A kinetic study has shown that the rate of copolymerization in the batch process increased with increasing TBPMI content in the monomer feed. For the semi-batch polymerized samples, molecular weight decreased and molecular weight distribution increased with increasing TBPMI content in the monomer feed. For the batch polymerized samples, molecular weight also decreased but no obvious tendency was observed for the molecular weight distribution when TBPMI content increased. Compared with the batch copolymers, the semi-batch copolymers have a higher molecular weight at the same initial monomer mixture composition. Latex particle size decreased, while particle size distribution slightly increased with increasing TBPMI content in both semi-batch and batch latices. The semi-batch samples exhibit only a single T_g, the value of which increses linearly with increasing TBPMI content. For the batch copolymers, two T_gs were found, reflecting a mixture of styrene-rich and TBPMI-rich copolymer chains. TGA results indicate that the thermal stability of the semi-batch copolymers increased with increasing TBPMI concentration. Young's and flexural moduli increased, while tensile and flexural strengths decreased by increasing the TBPMI content for both the semi-batch and batch specimens. The semi-batch specimens have higher tensile and flexural strenghts than the batch ones.     

Facile synthesis of blocky styrene(1,3)‐butadiene copolymers having stereoregular monomeric sequences

Half titanocenes (CpCH₂CH₂O)TiCl₂ 1 and (CpCH₂CH₂ OCH₃)TiCl₃ 2 , activated by methylaluminoxane are tested in styrene–1,3‐butadiene copolymerization. The titanocene 1 is able to copolymerize styrene and 1,3‐butadiene, with a facile procedure, to give products with high molecular weight. The analysis of microstructure by ¹³C‐NMR reveals that the styrene homosequences in copolymers are in syndiotactic arrangement, while the butadiene homosequences are, prevailingly, in 1,4‐cis configuration, according with behavior of 1 in the homopolymerizations of styrene and 1,3‐butadiene, respectively. The reactivity ratios of copolymerization are estimated by diad composition analysis. All obtained copolymers have r₁ × r₂ values much larger than 1, indicating blocky nature of homosequences. The structural characterization by wide‐angle X‐ray powder diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry indicates that all copolymers are crystalline, with T_m varying from 171 to 239 °C, depending on the styrene content. The titanocene 2 did not succeed in styrene–1,3‐butadiene copolymerization, giving rise to a blend of homopolymers. Compounds 1 and 2 were also tested in the polymerization of several conjugated dienes, and the obtained results were very useful to rationalize the behavior of both catalysts in the copolymerization of styrene and butadiene. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 815–822, 2010     

Homogeneous organolanthanide catalysts for the selective polymerization of styrene without aluminium cocatalysts

Anionic or neutral allylic samarium or neodymium species catalyse the polymerization of styrene (catalyst/styrene ratio = 1:1000) without addition of a cocatalyst. Random syndiotactic‐rich material is obtained from tetra‐allyl‐lanthanides, whereas neutral trisallyl‐lanthanides or anionic ansa‐bis(cyclopentadienyl)bisallyl‐lanthanides afford isotactic‐rich polystyrene. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Polymerizations of butadiene,isoprene, and 2,3-dimethylbutadiene by Gd(OCOCCl3)3–(i-Bu)3Al–Et2AlCl and the cis polymerization mechanism for dienes

Homopolymerizations of butadiene (BD), isoprene (IP), and 2,3-dimethylbutadiene (DMBD) were carried out by a Gd(OCOCCl₃)₃-based catalyst, to investigate the effects of the energy levels of the monomers or the sterical factor of the methyl substituents on the polymerizability and the cis-selectivity of the monomers. The order of the polymerizability at 50°C was as follows: BD (4.5 kg of polymer/(mol of Gd h)) ∼ IP (4.8) > DMBD (0.6). On the other hand, the cis-selectivity of the polymers was as follows: BD (98%) > IP (94%) > DMBD (35%). These results suggest that the terminal BD and IP units are controlled by the cis configuration by the coordination between the penultimate cis-vinylene unit and the catalyst metal, whereas the penultimate DMBD unit unfavorably controls the terminal DMBD unit to the cis-1,4 configuration through the back-biting coordination with difficulty by two methyl substituents compared with the penultimate BD and IP units. The validity of the back-biting coordination was examined by MO calculation with σ-allylnickel complexes. According to the formation energy with respect to the BD–BD diad, the cis–cis form is somewhat preferable to the trans–cis form through the coordination of the penultimate BD unit by ΔE = 0.028 au (ca. 17.6 kcal/mol). © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J. Polym. Sci. A Polym. Chem. 36: 2283–2290, 1998     

Stereospecific sequential block copolymerizations of styrene and 1,3‐butadiene with a C5Me5TiMe3/B(C6F5)3/Al(oct)3 catalyst

This article reports a new methodology for preparing highly stereoregular styrene (ST)/1,3‐butadiene (BD) block copolymers, composed of syndiotactic polystyrene (syn‐PS) segments chemically bonded with cis‐polybutadiene (cis‐PB) segments, through a stereospecific sequential block copolymerization of ST with BD in the presence of a C₅Me₅TiMe₃/B(C₆F₅)₃/Al(oct)₃ catalyst. The first polymerization step, conducted in toluene at ?25 °C, was attributed to the syndiospecific living polymerization of ST. The second step, conducted at ?40 °C, was attributed to the cis‐specific living polymerization of BD. The livingness of the whole polymerization system was confirmed through a linear increase in the weight‐average molecular weights of the copolymers versus the polymer yields in both steps, whereas the molar mass distributions remained constant. The profound cross reactivity of the styrenic‐end‐group active species with BD toward ST led to the production of syn‐PS‐b‐cis‐PB copolymers with extremely high block efficiencies. Because of the presence of crystallizable syn‐PS segments, this copolymer exhibited high melting temperatures (up to 270 °C), which were remarkably different from those of the corresponding anionic ST–BD copolymers, for which no melting temperatures were observed. Scanning electron microscopy pictures of a binary syn‐PS/cis‐PB blend with or without the addition of the syn‐PS‐b‐cis‐PB copolymers proved that it could be used as an effective compatibilizer for noncompatibilized syn‐PS/cis‐PB binary blends. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 1188–1195, 2005     

Polymerization of styrene with ionic comonomer,nonionic comonomer,or both

Nanosized polystyrene latexes with high polymer contents were obtained from an emulsifier-free process by the polymerization of styrene with ionic comonomer, nonionic comonomer, or both. After seeding particles were generated in an initial emulsion system consisting of styrene, water, an ionic comonomer [sodium styrenesulfonate (NaSS)] or nonionic comonomer [2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA)], and potassium persulfate, most of the styrene monomer or a mixture of styrene and HEMA was added dropwise to the polymerizing emulsion over 6 h. Stable latexes with high polystyrene contents (≤25%) were obtained. The latex particle weight-average diameters were largely reduced (41 nm) by the continuous addition of monomer(s) compared with those (117 nm) obtained by the one-pot polymerization method. Latex particles varied from about 30 to 250 nm in diameters, whereas their molar masses were within 10⁴ to 10⁵ g/mol. The effect of the comonomer concentration on the number of polystyrene particles per milliliter of latex and the weight-average molar masses of the copolymers during the polymerization are discussed. The surface compositions of the latex particles were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, which indicated that the surface of the latex particles was significantly enriched in NaSS, HEMA, or both. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 1634–1645, 2001     

Free‐radical copolymerization of styrene with butyl acrylate. II. Elemental kinetic copolymerization step predictions from homopolymerization data

The free‐radical copolymerization of styrene and butyl acrylate has been carried out in benzene at 50 °C. The lumped k _p/k parameter (where k _p and k _t are the average copolymerization propagation and termination rate constants, respectively) has been determined. Applying the implicit penultimate unit model for the overall copolymerization propagation rate coefficient and the terminal unit effect for the overall copolymerization termination rate coefficient and using the homopolymerization kinetic coefficients, we have found good qualitative agreement between the experimental and theoretical k _p/k values. The variation of the copolymerization rate in solution with respect to the values previously found in bulk has been ascribed to a chain length effect on the copolymerization termination rate coefficient. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 130–136, 2004     

Morphology and performance of styrene butadiene rubber filled with modified graphite nanoplatelet and carbon black

In our work, effects of 2‐mercapto‐1‐methylimidazole modified graphite nanoplatelet (MMI–GN) and carbon black (CB) on static and dynamic mechanical properties of styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) composites were studied. MMI–GN is synthesized by ball‐mill process, and the result reveals that π–π interactions existed between MMI and GN. The results demonstrate that the static and dynamic mechanical performances of SBR/CB/MMI–GN composites are significantly improved over these of SBR/CB and SBR/CB/GN composites. Compared with SBR/CB, the tensile strength, tear strength, and modulus at 300% elongation of SBR/CB/MMI–GN–3 are greatly improved by 45%, 27%, and 4%, respectively. And the rolling resistance of SBR/CB/MMI–GN–3 is reduced by 3.7% with remaining almost unchanged in the wet grip property. The superiority of MMI–GN in the enhancement for the overall performance of SBR/CB composites is attributed to the well dispersion of GN throughout the SBR matrix and the enhanced interfacial interactions between GN and the SBR matrix. This work might expedite synthesis of the graphite‐based materials for enhancing rubber composites, and enlarge the potential applications of modified graphite to fabricate the high‐performance rubber composites. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.