Donor-Acceptor Complexes in Copolymerization. XXXVI. Alternating Diene-Dienophile Copolymers. 4. Copolymerization of Furan and 2-Methylfuran with Maleic Anhydride

Abstract

The copolymerization of furan and 2-methylfuran with maleic anhydride in the presence of a radical catalyst yields equimolar, alternating copolymers in which the furan units have a 2,5-linkage (NMR and IR). The copolymerization appears to have a floor temperature of about 40°C. The furan-maleic anhydride Diels-Alder adduct polymerizes in solution in the presence of a radical catalyst at temperatures above 60°C to yield the identical copolymer as is obtained from the monomers. The adduct undergoes a retrograde reaction above 60°C to regenerate the monomers which then copolymerize through excitation of the ground state comonomer charge transfer complex.     

Donor-Acceptor Complexes in Copolymerization. XXXVII. Alternating Diene-Dienophile Copolymers. 5. Formation of Conjugated Diene-Maleic Anhydride Copolymers through Retrograde Dissociation of Furan-Maleic Anhydride Diels-Alder Adduct

Abstract

The equimolar, alternating copolymer of isoprene, as well as other conjugated dienes, and maleic anhydride is formed by the radical catalyzed reaction of the conjugated diene with maleic anhydride in the presence of furan as well as with the furan-maleic anhydride Diels-Alder adduct. The retrograde dissociation of the cyclic adduct above 60°C regenerates furan and maleic anhydride which in the presence of isoprene forms the isoprene-maleic anhydride ground state complex. The latter yields the corresponding cyclic adduct in the absence of a radical catalyst and undergoes excitation and homopolymerization in the presence of a catalyst.     

Structure study of the furan–maleic anhydride copolymer

A structural study of furan–maleic anhydride copolymer (F–MAH) was undertaken to confirm its alternating nature and to determine its microstructure. The spectral properties of a model compound representing the alternating repeat unit, 2-(2-tetrahydrofuranyl)succinic anhydride, were compared with those of F–MAH. Their infrared (IR), ¹H, and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra (after compensating for the absence of the olefinic double bond) were in good agreement with those of the copolymer. Furthermore, the observed splitting in the ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR spectra of F–MAH were assigned to cis–trans linkages on both the F and MAH units, with cis linkage being favored on both units, especially the former. The structure of 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMeF)–MAH copolymer is similar to that of F–MAH copolymer, except that the preference of cis linkages is less pronounced. The structure of 2-methylfuran (MF)–MAH copolymer is a complex structure with numerous 2,3-furandiyl units. A mechanistic study was undertaken to elucidate the roles of F–MAH Diels–Alder adduct, and the charge-transfer (CT) complex in the radical initiated copolymerization. The adduct reverted substantially to monomers under the reaction conditions; but, the amount of adduct remaining at equilibrium was quite appreciable; therefore, its participation could be ruled out on this basis alone. However, on polymerizing the adduct in the presence of F-d₄, the latter was incorporated into the copolymer to an extent indicative of free monomer exchange. Therefore, the adduct cannot be directly involved in the polymerization.     

Donor-acceptor complexes in copolymerization. L. Preparation and microstructure of chlorine-containing alternating conjugated diene–acceptor monomer copolymers

Neighboring monomer units cause significant shifts in the infrared absorption peaks attributed to cis- and trans-1,4 units in conjugated diene-acceptor monomer copolymers. Conjugated diene-maleic anhydride alternating copolymers apparently have a predominantly cis-1,4-structure, while alternating diene-SO₂ copolymers have a predominantly trans-1,4 structure. Alternating copolymers of butadiene, isoprene, and pentadiene-1,3 with α-chloroacrylonitrile and methyl α-chloroacrylate, prepared in the presence of Et_1.5AlCl_1.5(EASC), have trans-1,4 unsaturation. Alternating copolymers of chloroprene with acrylonitrile, methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, α-chloroacrylonitrile, and methyl α-chloroacrylate prepared in the presence of EASC-VOCl₃ have trans-1,4 configuration. The reaction between chloroprene and acrylonitrile in the presence of AlCl₃ yields the cyclic Diel-Alder adduct in the dark and the alternating copolymer under ultraviolet irradiation. The equimolar, presumably alternating, copolymers of chloroprene with methyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate undergo cyclization at 205°C to a far lesser extent than theoretically calculated, to yield five and seven-membered lactones. The polymerization of chloroprene in the presence of EASC and acetonitrile yields a radical homopolymer with trans-1,4 unsaturation.     

Donor-Acceptor Complexes in Copolymerization. LIX. Alternating Diene-Dienophile Copolymers. 13. Copolymerization of Dicyclopentadiene and Maleic Anhydride

The solution and bulk copolymerization of dicyclopentadiene (DCP) and maleic anhydride (MAH) occurs over the temperature range 80–240°C, upon the addition of a free-radical catalyst which has a short half-life at the reaction temperature. An unsaturated 1/1 MAH/DCP copolymer, derived from the copolymerization of MAH with the norbornene double bond, followed by a Wagner-Meerwein rearrangement, is obtained in the presence of a large excess of DCP at 80° C, while a saturated 2/1 MAH/ DCP copolymer, derived from the cyclocopolymerization of the residual cyclopentene unsaturation, is obtained at higher temperatures or in the presence of excess MAH. The copolymers prepared under other conditions with intermediate MAH/DCP mole ratios contain both 1/1 and 2/1 repeating units. The copolymer obtained from bulk copolymerization above 170° C contains units derived from cyclopentadiene-MAH cyclocopolymerization as well as DCP-MAH copolymerization.     

Donor-Acceptor Complexes in Copolymerization. III. Conjugated Diene-Acrylonitrile Copolymerization in the Presence of Metal Halides

The copolymerization of isoprene or butadiene with acrylonitrile in the presence of zinc chloride or ethylaluminum sesquichloride, in the presence or absence of a free radical catalyst, at 30-70°C yields an equimolar, diene-acrylonitrile alternating copolymer containing more than 90% trans-1,4 unsaturation, irrespective of monomer charge. The copolymer results from the homopolymerization of a diene-acrylonitrile…metal halide transoid charge transfer complex. When ZnCl₂ is the electron-accepting metal halide and the polymerization is carried out at temperatures of 50°C and higher or to high conversions, the equimolar copolymer is accompanied by a high acrylonitrile polymer, and in the presence of a radical catalyst, by a normal radical copolymer. In the presence of the organoaluminum halide and in the absence of a radical catalyst, the alternating copolymer is the only product, irrespective of monomer charge. However, in the presence of a radical catalyst and at high acrylonitrile monomer charges, e.g., D/AN = 10/90, the alternating copolymer is accompanied by a normal radical copolymer. The formation of equimolar, alternating copolymer at all monomer ratios and in the absence or presence of a radical catalyst indicates that the (D-AN…MX) charge transfer complex readily undergoes homopolymerization and does not copolymerize with free diene or acrylonitrile or with the AN-AN…MX complex.     

Structure of ethylene–chlorotrifluoroethylene copolymers

The structures of copolymers of ethylene and chlorotrifluoroethylene have been studied by infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance, and x-ray diffraction techniques. Copolymers varying in ethylene composition from 80 to 50 mole-% were prepared at a number of different temperatures with a peroxide catalyst system. Compositions of 50/50 mole ratio were found to be semicrystalline and to have melting points as high as 241°C. These materials were found to be copolymers with a high degree of one-to-one alternation. They were similar in structure to 1:1 copolymers which had been reported previously by other workers who used a triethylboron catalyst system. The x-ray evidence indicated that the copolymers prepared with the peroxide catalysts were not stereoregular. A hexagonal unit cell with a theoretical density of 1.70 g/cc was determined for the alternating one-to-one copolymer by x-ray techniques. A value of 262°C was determined for the melting point of the theoretical 100% alternating one-to-one copolymer. Values of ΔH_? = 4500 cal/mole and ΔS_? = 8.4 cal/deg-mole were also calculated for the alternating 1:1 copolymer. The preferred conformation of the material appears to be a “kinked” structure with the crystalline phase having ethylene units in one chain lining up opposite chlorotrifluoroethylene units in the adjacent chain. Polar association which can occur between fluorine and hydrogen atoms in this arrangement may account in part for the relatively high melting point of the alternating one-to-one copolymers.     

Charge transfer complex formation in in-situ maleic anhydride and N-vinyl caprolactam copolymer and copolymer/organo-montmorillonite nanoarchitectures

The binary copolymerization of maleic anhydride (MA) and N-vinyl caprolactam (VCL) or considered as acceptor (A)?donor (D) monomer systems were used (MA:VCL) 50:50 in BPO (0.5%) as an initiator at 70°C under nitrogen atmosphere. The functional copolymers, having a combination of rigid/flexible linkages and an ability of complex-formation with interlayered surface of organo-silicate, and their nanocomposites have been synthesized. Interlamellar in situ complex-radical copolymerization of intercalated monomer complexes of MA and VCL undergoes with stearyl amine surface modified montmorillonite (O-MMT) and monomer mixtures. Charge transfer complex formation was followed and identified by UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy. Equilibrium constant (K_AD) molar absorption coefficient (?^AD)) of the complex were determined by the Benesi-Hildebrand, Scott and Ketaalar equations respectively. The results show that copolymerization of MA:VCL system was preceded via alternating copolymerization mechanism. Obtained functional alternating copolymer and copolymer/O-MMT nanostructures were characterized by XRD and TEM.     

Donor-Acceptor Complexes in Copolymerization. XXVI. Effect of Solvent,Temperature, and Complexing Agent on the Polymerization of Comonomer Charge Transfer Complexes

The copolymerization of styrene with methyl methacrylate (S/MMA = 4/1) or acrylonitrile (S/AN = 1/1) in the presence of ethylaluminum sesquichloride (EASC) yields 1/1 copolymer in toluene or chlorobenzene. In chloroform the S-MMA-EASC polymerization yields 60/40 copolymer while the S-AN-EASC polymerization yields 1/1 copolymer. In the presence of EASC, styrene-α-chloroacrylonitrile yields 1/1 copolymer (DMF or DMSO), S-AN yields 1/1 copolymer (DMSO) or radical copolymer (DMF), S-MMA yields radical copolymer (DMF or DMSO), α-methylstyrene-AN yields radical copolymer (DMSO) or traces of copolymer (DMF), and α-MS-methacrylo-nitrile yields traces of copolymer (DMSO) or no copolymer (DMF). When zinc chloride is used as complexing agent in DMF or DMSO, none of the monomer pairs undergoes polymerization. However, radical catalyzed polymerization of isoprene-AN-ZnCl₂ in DMF yields 1/1 alternating copolymer. The copolymerization of S/MMA in the presence of EASC yields 1/1 alternating copolymer up to 100°C, while the copolymerization of S/AN deviates from 1/1 alternating copolymer above 50°C. The copolymerization of S/MMA deviates from 1/1 copolymer at MMA/EASC mole ratios above 20 while the copolymerization of S/AN deviates from 1/1 copolymer at MMA/EASC ratios above 50.     

Vinylhydroquinone. V. Tri-n-butylborane-initiated copolymerization of maleic anhydride and redox property of copolymers

Tri-n-butylborane (TBB) was found to be capable of initiating the copolymerization of vinylhydroquinone (VHQ) with maleic anhydride (MAn) and diethyl fumarate (DEF) in cyclohexanone at 30°C under nitrogen. Redox potentials of the VHQ–MAn copolymer obtained were examined. These results, along with spectroscopic data, indicate that the copolymers are of a highly alternating character.     

POLYMERIC ACID FOR THIN FILM APPLICATIONS

ABSTRACT

Propyl and butyl half esters of the alternating copolymer isobutylene/maleic anhydride (IB/MAn) are polymers of high acid content (4.67 and 4.38 milliequivalent acid/g polymer). These polymers exhibit good physical performance in thin films, such as absence of cracking and minimal curl. The anhydride ring of the copolymer IB/MAn is opened in refluxing alcohol at atmospheric or elevated pressure; conversion is monitored by an IR probe (1783 vs. 1733 cm?1). The polymers are stable up to about 50 °C. Weight loss corresponding to the reversion to the anhydride structure is observed at higher temperature, with concurrent increase of anhydride resonances in the IR. Thermal stability of the half esters is similar to that of alkyl half esters of the alternating copolymers ethylene/maleic anhydride (EMA) and methyl vinyl ether/maleic anhydride (Gantrez® AN 119). The 1-propanol solution of the propyl half ester of IB/MAn copolymer is a shear thinning fluid, a significant advantage when coating at high speeds.     

Poly-2-vinylfuran,synthesis, characterization,and diels-alder reaction with maleic anhydride

Poly-2-vinylfuran, synthesized by free-radical polymerization of 2-vinylfuran, was characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and infrared (IR) spectroscopy. The pendant furan rings on the polymer backbone were then used as the diene component of a Diels-Alder reaction with maleic anhydride. The juxtaposition of the furan rings at first suggested an “avalanche” Diels-Alder reaction, in which the product of one cyclization would be the reactant of the next. A lack of polymer stereoregularity and the reversibility of the Diels-Alder reaction, however, prevented its formation. On the other hand, when the dienophile was used in a 1:1 molar ratio with respect to furan the smooth reaction produced a new polymer, the maleic anhydride adduct of poly-2-vinylfuran, which characterized by NMR and IR spectroscopy, was air stable and soluble in a number of solvents up to 70% transformation. When heated to 160°C the polymer reverted to maleic anhydride and somewhat decomposed poly-2-vinylfuran.     

Functional copolymer/organo‐MMT nanoarchitectures. XIX. Nanofabrication and characterization of poly(MA‐alt‐1‐octadecene)‐g‐PLA layered silicate nanocomposites with nanoporous core–shell morphology

Novel bioengineering functional copolymer‐g‐biopolymer‐based layered silicate nanocomposites were fabricated by catalytic interlamellar bulk graft copolymerization of L‐lactic acid (LA) monomer onto alternating copolymer of maleic anhydride (MA) with 1‐octadecene as a reactive matrix polymer in the presence of preintercalated LA…organo‐MMT clay (reactive ODA‐MMT and non‐reactive DMDA‐MMT) complexes as nanofillers and tin(oct)₂ as a catalyst under vacuum at 80°C. To characterize the functional copolymer layered silicate nanocomposites and understand the mechanism of in situ processing, interfacial interactions and nanostructure formation in these nanosystems, we have utilized a combination of variuous methods such as FT‐IR spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), dynamic mechanical (DMA), thermal (DSC and TGA‐DTG), SEM and TEM morphology. It was found that in situ graft copolymerization occurred through the following steps: (i) esterification of anhydride units of copolymer with LA; (ii) intercalation of LA between silicate galleries; (iii) intercalation of matrix copolymer into silicate layers through in situ amidization of anhydride units with octadecyl amine intercalant; and (iv) interlamellar graft copolymerization via in situ intercalating/exfoliating processing. The main properties and observed micro‐ and nanoporous surface and internal core–shell morphology of the nanocomposites significantly depend on the origin of MMT clays and type of in situ processing (ion exchanging, amidization reaction, strong H‐bonding and self‐organized hydrophobic/hydrophilic interfacial interactions). This developed approach can be applied to a wide range of anhydride‐containing copolymers such as random, alternating and graft copolymers of MA to synthesize new generation of polymer‐g‐biopolymer silicate layered nanocomposites and nanofibers for nanoengineering and nanomedicine applications. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Donor-Acceptor Complexes in Copolymerization. XVIII. Alternating Diene–Dienophile Copolymers. 1. Conjugated Diene–Maleic Anhydride Copolymers through Radical-Catalyzed Polymerization

The copolymerization of isoprene, butadiene, and other conjugated dienes with maleic anhydride was readily initiated in polar solvents by conventional free radical catalysts, including peroxides, hydroperoxides, and azobisisobutyronitrile, at high concentrations or at temperatures at which the catalyst had a half-life of 1 hr or less and the total reaction time was 0.5-1 hr. Decreasing the reaction temperature or the rate of catalyst addition resulted in increased yields of Diels-Alder adduct and decreased yields of copolymer. The molecular weight decreased as the temperature increased. Dioxane and tetrahydrofuran peroxides, obtained by the passage of oxygen or UV irradiation in air, also initiated the copolymerization. The soluble diene-maleic anhydride copolymers were equimolar and alternating, had [n] 0.1-6 (cyclohexanone) and contained 75-95% 1,4 structure according to ozonolysis, titration with IC1 and NMR. The IR spectrum of the butadiene–maleic anhydride copolymer indicated 75-95% cis-1,4, 5-20% trans-1,4 and 0-5% 1,2-vinyl unsaturation. The proposed mechanism of polymerization involves a donor-acceptor (diene-dienophile) interaction generating a ground-state charge transfer complex which is readily converted to the cyclic adduct. Under the influence of radicals the ground-state complex is transformed into an excited complex which undergoes polymerization. High concentrations of radicals are necessary to generate polymerizable excited complexes in competition with adduct formation.     

Bioengineering functional copolymers. III. Synthesis of biocompatible poly[(N‐isopropylacrylamide‐co‐maleic anhydride)‐g‐poly(ethylene oxide)]/poly(ethylene imine) macrocomplexes and their thermostabilization effect on the activity of the enzyme penicillin G acylase

Stimuli‐responsive poly[(N‐isopropylacrylamide‐co‐maleic anhydride)‐g‐poly(ethylene oxide)]/poly(ethylene imine) macrobranched macrocomplexes were synthesized by (1) the radical copolymerization of N‐isopropylacrylamide and maleic anhydride with α,α′‐azobisisobutyronitrile as an initiator in 1,4‐dioxane at 65 °C under a nitrogen atmosphere, (2) the polyesterification (grafting) of prepared poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide‐co‐maleic anhydride) containing less than 20 mol % anhydride units with α‐hydroxy‐ω‐methoxy‐poly(ethylene oxide)s having different number‐average molecular weights (M_n = 4000, 10,000, or 20,000), and (3) the incorporation of macrobranched copolymers with poly(ethylene imine) (M_n = 60,000). The composition and structure of the synthesized copolymer systems were determined by Fourier transform infrared, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, and chemical and elemental analyses. The important properties of the copolymer systems (e.g., the viscosity, thermal and pH sensitivities, and lower critical solution temperature behavior) changed with increases in the molecular weight, composition, and length of the macrobranched hydrophobic domains. These copolymers with reactive anhydride and carboxylic groups were used for the stabilization of penicillin G acylase (PGA). The conjugation of the enzyme with the copolymers significantly increased the thermal stability of PGA (three times at 45 °C and two times at 65 °C). © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 1580–1593, 2003     

Alternating ethylene–alkyl acrylate copolymers. II. Polymer properties

Properties such as viscosity correlations and spectral data of alternating ethylene–ethyl acrylate copolymers are described. The proton and ¹³C-NMR spectra show that there is a considerable amount of tacticity in these polymers. Although the alternating configuration predominates, there is also some random structure present. Terpolymers were prepared with cure-site monomers, such as 2-chloroethyl acrylate. The terpolymers were compounded with carbon black and cured to give vulcanizates with excellent properties. The cured products are resistant to oil, water, heat, and oxidation. They also have good low temperature properties (stiffening temperature ?31°C, brittleness temperature ?50°C), tensile properties (tensile strength 17.2 MPa, elongation at break 250%) and compression sets (25% at 150°C for 70 hr).     

Reversible Transformation between Amorphous and Crystalline States of Unsaturated Polyesters by Cis–Trans Isomerization

An aliphatic polyester has been prepared from ethylene oxide and maleic anhydride that undergoes reversible transformation between amorphous (T_g=18 °C) and crystalline (T_m=124 °C) states through cis–trans isomerization of the C=C bonds in the polymer backbone without any change in either the molecular weight or dispersity of the polymer. A similar transformation was also observed in chiral unsaturated polyesters formed from enantiopure terminal epoxides, such as epichlorohydrin, phenyl glycidyl ether, and (2,3‐epoxypropyl)benzene. These unsaturated polyesters with 100 % E‐configuration in the crystalline state were prepared by quantitative isomerization of their Z‐configuration analogues in the presence of a catalytic amount of diethylamine, while in the presence of benzophenone, irradiation with 365 nm UV light resulted in the transformation of about 30 % trans‐alkene to cis‐maleate form, thereby affording amorphous polyesters.     

Alternating Copolymerization of Propylene Oxide with Biorenewable Terpene‐Based Cyclic Anhydrides: A Sustainable Route to Aliphatic Polyesters with High Glass Transition Temperatures

The alternating copolymerization of propylene oxide with terpene‐based cyclic anhydrides catalyzed by chromium, cobalt, and aluminum salen complexes is reported. The use of the Diels–Alder adduct of α‐terpinene and maleic anhydride as the cyclic anhydride comonomer results in amorphous polyesters that exhibit glass transition temperatures (T_g) of up to 109 °C. The polymerization conditions and choice of catalyst have a dramatic impact on the molecular weight distribution, the relative stereochemistry of the diester units along the polymer chain, and ultimately the T_g of the resulting polymer. The aluminum salen complex exhibits exceptional selectivity for copolymerization without transesterification or epimerization side reactions. The resulting polyesters are highly alternating and have high molecular weights and narrow polydispersities.     

Stereochemistry of alternating methacryloyl-L-valine methyl ester–maleic anhydride copolymer

The stereochemical composition of an alternating methacryloyl-L -valine methyl estermaleic anhydride (L-MAVM/MAn) copolymer which was prepared by the photocopolymerization of L-MAVM and MAn in dioxane at 25°C without initiator was investigated by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The resonance of the ester methyl protons of the L-MAVM unit appeared as three split peaks at 3.65, 3.76, and 3.82 ppm, which could be assigned to those of the coisotactic (di-threo-tri-isotactic), coheterotactic and cosyndiotactic triads, respectively. The triad cotacticity determined according to these assignments indicated that the copolymer was composed predominantly of di-threo-tri-isotactic triad. Similarly PMR spectroscopic investigation of the acryloyl-L -valine methyl ester–maleic anhydride (L-AVM/MAn) copolymer with a 1:1 molar ratio of the monomers showed that the main tactic fraction of the copolymer was also di-threo-tri-isotactic one. Nevertheless, the circular dichroic investigation of the L-AVM/MAn copolymer before and after hydrolysis denied asymmetric induction into the polymer main chain. These results suggest that the propagation step in the photocopolymerization of L-MAVM or L-AVM with MAn proceeds by the trans-trans opening of the complexmer composed of a 1:1 molar ratio of L-MAVM or L-AVM and MAn.     

Controlled free-radical copolymerization of maleic anhydride and divinyl ether in the presence of reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer agents

The free-radical alternating cyclocopolymerization of maleic anhydride and divinyl ether is studied at 60–80°C in the presence of benzyl dithiobenzoate and dibenzyl trithiocarbonate as reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer agents. It is shown that the structure of the repeating unit of the cyclocopolymer prepared in the presence of a reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer agent coincides with the structure of the repeating unit of the copolymer synthesized under the conditions of conventional free-radical cyclocopolymerization. When the cyclocopolymer is used as a reversible addition-fragmentation chaintransfer agent, a successive increase in the molecular mass of the copolymer with conversion and formation of the block copolymer in the polymerization of styrene are unambiguous evidence that the copolymerization proceeds according to the pseudoliving radical mechanism.