Polymerization of vinylene carbonate in dimethyl sulfoxide

Pure vinylene carbonate polymerizes readily in dimethyl sulfoxide solutions upon initiation by azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN). The monomer conversion is characterized by a limiting value which appears to be a function of the temperature and the initial concentrations of both the initiator and the monomer. Increasing both initiator concentration and temperature results in higher final conversions, whereas a maximum conversion is indicated for initial monomer concentrations in the range of 80% to 90%. Principal kinetic quantities were found to be adequately represented by the equations k_d = 24.3 × 10⁵ exp {?11300/RT} and k_p(f/k_t)^1/2 = 46.3 × 10⁵ exp {?8900/RT} for the temperature range of 50–80°C. The average degree of polymerization was found to be affected by chain transfer to the solvent. A value of 5.8 × 10^?4 was determined for the corresponding chain transfer constant.     

Kinetic Study of Radical Polymerization VIII. A Comprehensive Study of Solution Copolymerization of Vinyl Acetate and Methyl Acrylate by 1H‐NMR Spectroscopy

Radical copolymerization reaction of vinyl acetate (VA) and methyl acrylate (MA) was performed in a solution of benzene‐d₆ using benzoyl peroxide (BPO) as the initiator at 60°C. Kinetic studies of this copolymerization reaction were investigated by on‐line ¹H‐NMR spectroscopy. Individual monomer conversions vs. reaction time, which was followed by this technique, were used to calculate the overall monomer conversion, as well as the monomer mixture and the copolymer compositions as a function of time. Monomer reactivity ratios were calculated by various linear and nonlinear terminal models and also by simplified penultimate model with r _2(VA)=0 at low and medium/high conversions. Overall rate coefficient of copolymerization was calculated from the overall monomer conversion vs. time data and k _p  . k _t ^?0.5 was then estimated. It was observed that k _p  . k _t ^?0.5 increases with increasing the mole fraction of MA in the initial feed, indicating the increase in the polymerization rate with increasing MA concentration in the initial monomer mixture. The effect of mole fraction of MA in the initial monomer mixture on the drifts in the monomer mixture and copolymer compositions with reaction progress was also evaluated experimentally and theoretically.     

Initiator efficiency of 2,2′‐azobis(isobutyronitrile) in bulk dodecyl acrylate free‐radical polymerizations over a wide conversion and molecular weight range

An Erratum has been published for this article in J. Polym. Sci. Part A: Polym. Chem. (2004) 42(21) 5559 . The initiator efficiency, f, of 2,2′‐azobis(isobutyronitrile) (AIBN) in dodecyl acrylate (DA) bulk free‐radical polymerizations has been determined over a wide range of monomer conversion in high‐molecular‐weight regimes (M_n ? 10⁶ g mol^?1 [? 4160 units of DA)] with time‐dependent conversion data obtained via online Fourier transform near infrared spectroscopy (FTNIR) at 60 °C. In addition, the required initiator decomposition rate coefficient, k_d, was determined via online UV spectrometry and was found to be 8.4 · 10^?6 s^?1 (±0.5 · 10^?6 s^?1) in dodecane, n‐butyl acetate, and n‐dodecyl acetate at 60 °C. The initiator efficiency at low monomer conversions is relatively low (f = 0.13) and decreases with increasing monomer to polymer conversions. The evolution of f with monomer conversion (in high‐molecular‐weight regimes), x, at 60 °C can be summarized by the following functionality: f^{60 °C} (x) = 0.13–0.22 · x + 0.25 · x² (for x ≤ 0.45). The reported efficiency data are believed to have an error of >50%. The ratio of the initiator efficiency and the average termination rate coefficient, 〈k_t±, (f/〈k_t〉) has been determined at various molecular weights for the generated polydodecyl acrylate (M_n = 1900 g mol^?1 (? 8 units of DA) up to M_n = 36,500 g mol^?1 (? 152 units of DA). The (f/〈k_t〉) data may be indicative of a chain length‐dependent termination rate coefficient decreasing with (average) chain length. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 5170–5179, 2004     

Free‐radical copolymerization of styrene and m‐isopropenyl‐α,α′‐dimethylbenzyl isocyanate studied by 1H NMR kinetic experiments

The free‐radical copolymerization of m‐isopropenyl‐α,α′‐dimethylbenzyl isocyanate (TMI) and styrene was studied with ¹H NMR kinetic experiments at 70 °C. Monomer conversion vs time data were used to determine the ratio k_p × k_t^?0.5 for various comonomer mixture compositions (where k_p is the propagation rate coefficient and k_t is the termination rate coefficient). The ratio k_p × k_t^?0.5 varied from 25.9 × 10^?3 L^0.5 mol^?0.5 s^?0.5 for pure styrene to 2.03 × 10^?3 L^0.5 mol^?0.5 s^?0.5 for 73 mol % TMI, indicating a significant decrease in the rate of polymerization with increasing TMI content in the reaction mixture. Traces of the individual monomer conversion versus time were used to map out the comonomer mixture composition drift up to overall monomer conversions of 35%. Within this conversion range, a slight but significant depletion of styrene in the monomer feed was observed. This depletion became more pronounced at higher levels of TMI in the initial comonomer mixture. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 1064–1074, 2002     

Dark‐cure studies of cationic photopolymerizations of epoxides: Characterization of the active center lifetime and kinetic rate constants

We have characterized the effective rate constants for termination/trapping (k_t/t) and propagation (k_p) for solvent‐free cationic photopolymerizations of phenyl glycidyl ether for conversions up to 50%. We have performed dark‐cure experiments in which active centers are produced photochemically for a specified period of time until the initiating light is shuttered off, and then the polymerization rate is monitored in the dark. This method is especially well suited for characterizing cationic polymerizations because of the long active center lifetimes. Our analysis provides profiles of the instantaneous kinetic rate constants as functions of conversion (or time). For photopolymerizations of phenyl glycidyl ether initiated with iodonium photoinitiators, k_t/t and k_p remain essentially invariant for conversions up to 50%. For the photoinitiator (tolycumyl) iodonium tetrakis (pentafluorophenyl) borate (IPB), the values of k_t/t at 50 and 60 °C are 0.027 and 0.033 min^?1, respectively. The corresponding values of k_t/t for diaryliodonium hexafluoroantimonate (IHA) are 0.041 and 0.068 min^?1. The values of k_p at 50 °C for IPB and IHA are 0.6 and 0.4 L mol^?1 s^?1, respectively. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 2064–2072, 2003     

β‐Hydrogen transfer from poly(methyl methacrylate) propagating radicals to the nitroxide SG1: Analysis of the chain‐end and determination of the rate constant

Methyl methacrylate (MMA) was polymerized in bulk at 70 °C in the presence of an alkoxyamine initiator with low dissociation temperature (the so‐called BlocBuilder?) and increasing amounts of free N‐tert‐butyl‐N‐(1‐diethylphosphono‐2,2‐dimethylpropyl) nitroxide (SG1). Low final monomer conversions were reached, indicating a loss in radical activity due to side reactions such as irreversible homoterminations between the propagating radicals and β‐hydrogen transfer (also called disproportionation) from a propagating radical to a free‐SG1 nitroxide. Proton NMR and MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry were used to analyze the polymer chain‐ends and to clearly identify the main mechanism of irreversible termination. In particular, it was shown that all polymer chains were terminated by an alkene function in the presence of a large excess of free SG1, meaning that β‐hydrogen transfer from PMMA propagating radicals to the nitroxide SG1 was the major chain‐stopping event. On the other hand, for a low excess of free SG1, the two termination modes coexisted. Kinetic modeling was then performed using the PREDICI software, and the rate constant of β‐hydrogen transfer, k_βHtr, was estimated to be 1.69 × 10³ L mol^?1 s^?1 at 70 °C. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 6333–6345, 2008     

Polymerization of neat 2‐ethylhexyl acrylate induced by a pulsed electron beam

The bulk polymerization of 2‐ethylhexyl acrylate (2‐EHA), induced by a pulsed electron beam, was investigated with pulse radiolysis, gravimetry, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The roles of the dose rate, pulse frequency, and added acrylic acid (AA) in the polymerization of 2‐EHA were examined at ambient temperature. In the range of 12.6–71.2 Gy/pulse, the polymerization of 2‐EHA was dose‐rate‐dependent: at the same total dose, a lower dose rate yielded a higher conversion. Also, a lower pulse rate gave a higher conversion at the same total dose. The addition of up to 10 wt % AA showed no increase in the conversion of 2‐EHA at a low conversion (8 kGy), but at a higher conversion (16 kGy), a 20 wt % increase in the conversion of 2‐EHA was observed. The estimated values (1.6 ± 0.3) × 10^?3 (dm³ s)^3/2 mol^?1 s^?1/2 for k_p(G/2k_t)^1/2 and 2.6 ± 0.8 dm³ s J^?1 for 2k_tG (where k_p is the rate constant of propagation, k_t is the rate constant of bimolecular termination, and G is the yield of free radicals) were obtained at relatively low conversions. The reaction rate constant of the addition of 2‐EHA^· free radicals to the monomer was measured by pulse radiolysis and found to be 2.8 × 10² mol^?1 dm³ s^?1. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 196–203, 2003     

Emulsion copolymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate

Chain transfer constants to monomer have been measured by an emulsion copolymerization technique at 44°C. The monomer transfer constant (ratio of transfer to propagation rate constants) is 1.9 × 10^?5 for styrene polymerization and 0.4 × 10^?5 for the methyl methacrylate reaction. Cross-transfer reactions are important in this system; the sum of the cross-transfer constants is 5.8 × 10^?5. Reactivity ratios measured in emulsion were r₁ (styrene) = 0.44, r₂ = 0.46. Those in bulk polymerizations were r₁ = 0.45, r₂ = 0.48. These sets of values are not significantly different. Monomer feed compcsition in the polymerizing particles is the same as in the monomer droplets in emulsion copolymerization, despite the higher water solubility of methyl methacrylate. The equilibrium monomer concentration in the particles in interval-2 emulsion polymerization was constant and independent of monomer feed composition for feeds containing 0.25–1.0 mole fraction styrene. Radical concentration is estimated to go through a minimum with increasing methyl methacrylate content in the feed. Rates of copolymerization can be calculated a priori when the concentrations of monomers in the polymer particles are known.     

Radical polymerization of vinyl thiocyanatoacetate: Participation of group‐transfer mechanism

Vinyl thiocyanatoacetate (VTCA) was synthesized, and its radical polymerization behavior was studied in acetone with dimethyl 2,2′‐azobisisobutyrate (MAIB) as an initiator. The initial polymerization rate (R_p) at 60 °C was expressed by R_p = k[MAIB]^0.6±0.1 [VTCA]^1.0±0.1 where k is a rate constant. The overall activation energy of the polymerization was 112 kJ/mol. The number‐average molecular weights of the resulting poly (VTCA)s (1.4–1.6 × 10⁴) were almost independent of the concentrations of the initiator and monomer, indicating chain transfer to the monomer. The chain‐transfer constant to the monomer was estimated to be 9.6 × 10^?3 at 60 °C. According to the ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra of poly (VTCA), the radical polymerization of VTCA proceeded through normal vinyl addition and intramolecular transfer of the cyano group. The cyano group transfer became progressively more important with decreasing monomer concentration. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 573–582, 2002; DOI 10.1002/pola.10137     

Effect of pyridine on the kinetics of polymerization of methyl methacrylate initiated by benzoyl peroxide and azobisisobutyronitrile at 60°C

Solution polymerization of MMA, with pyridine as the solvent and BZ₂O₂ and AIBN as thermal initiators, was studied kinetically at 60°C. The monomer exponent varied from 0.45 to 0.91 as [BZ₂O₂] was increased from 1 × 10^?2 to 30 × 10^?2 mole/liter in a concentration range of 8.3-4.6 mole/liter for MMA. For AIBN-initiated polymerization the monomer exponent remained constant at 0.69 as [AIBN] varied from 0.4 × 10^?2 to 1.0 × 10^?2 mole/liter in the same concentration range for MMA. The k²_p/k_t Value increased in both cases with an increase in pyridine concentration in the system. This was explained in terms of an increase in the k_p value, which was due presumably to the increased reactivity of the chain radicals by donor-acceptor interaction between the molecules of solvent pyridine and propagating PMMA radicals and in terms of lowering the k_t value for the diffusion-controlled termination reaction due to an increase in the medium viscosity and pyridine content.     

Reaction of tetramethyl-1,2-dioxetane with triphenylphosphine: Activation parameters for the formation of 2,2-dihydro-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-2,2,2-triphenyl-1,3,2-dioxaphospholane

The reaction of tetramethyl-1,2-dioxetane ( 1 ) and triphenylphosphine ( 2 ) in benzene-d₆ produced 2,2-dihydro-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-2,2,2-triphenyl-1,3,2-dioxaphospholane ( 3 ) in ?90% yield over the temperature range of 6–60°. Pinacolone and triphenylphosphine oxide ( 4 ) were the major side products [additionally acetone (from thermolysis of 1 ) and tetramethyloxirane ( 5 ) were noted at the higher temperatures]. Thermal decomposition of 3 produced only 4 and 5 . Kinetic studies were carried out by the chemiluminescence method. The rate of phosphorane was found to be first order with respect to each reagent. The activation parameters for the reaction of 1 and 2 were: Ea ? 9.8 ± 0.6 kcal/mole; ΔS^≠ = ?28 eu; k_30° = 1.8 m^?1sec^?1 (range = 10–60°). Preliminary results for the reaction of 1 and tris (p-chlorophenyl)phosphine were: Ea ? 11 kcal/mole, ΔS^≠ = ?24 eu, k_30° = 1.3 M^?1sec^?1 while those for the reaction of 1 and tris(p-anisyl)phosphine were: Ea ? 8.6 kcal/mole, ΔS^≠ = ?29 eu, k_30° = 4.9 M^?1 sec^?1.     

Modeling the reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer process in cumyl dithiobenzoate‐mediated styrene homopolymerizations: Assessing rate coefficients for the addition–fragmentation equilibrium

A full kinetic scheme for the free‐radical reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) process is presented and implemented into the program package PREDICI®. With the cumyl dithiobenzoate‐mediated bulk polymerization of styrene at 60 °C as an example, the rate coefficients associated with the addition–fragmentation equilibrium are deduced by the careful modeling of the time‐dependent evolution of experimental molecular weight distributions. The rate coefficient for the addition reaction of a free macroradical to a polymeric RAFT species (k_β) is approximately 5 · 10⁵ L mol^?1 s^?1, whereas the fragmentation rate coefficient of the formed macroradical RAFT species is close to 3 · 10^?2 s^?1. These values give an equilibrium constant of K = k_β/k_?β = 1.6 · 10⁷ L mol^?1. Conclusive evidence is given that the equilibrium lies well on the side of the macroradical RAFT species. The high value of k_β is comparable in size to the propagation rate coefficients reported for acrylates. The transfer rate coefficient to cumyl dithiobenzoate is close to 3.5 · 10⁵ L mol^?1 s^?1. A careful sensitivity analysis was performed, which indicated that the reported rate coefficients are accurate to a factor of 2. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 1353–1365, 2001     

Thermolysis of 3-methyl-3-(o-aryl)-1,2-dioxetanes: Activation parameters and chemiexcitation yields

3-Methyl-3-(o-tolyl)-1,2-dioxetane 1 and 3-methyl-4-(o-bromophenyl)-1,2-dioxetane 2 were synthesized in low yield by the β-bromo hydroperoxide method. The activation parameters were determined by the chemilumin-escence method (for 1 ΔG^? = 24.7 ± 0.3 kcal/mol, ΔH^? = 25.4, ΔS^? = + 1.9 e.u., k₆₀ = 3.4 × 10^?4s^?1; for 2 ΔG^? = 24.7 ± 0.4 kcal/mol, ΔH^? = 24.7, ΔS^? = 0.0 e.u., k₆₀ = 4.1 × 10^?4s^?1). Thermolysis of 1–2 directly produced high yields of excited triplets as expected for this type of dioxetane [triplet chemiexcitation yields (?⁷) for 1 0.03; for 2 0.02; the ?^T/?^S ratios were estimated to be approximately 200 for both compounds]. The effect of ortho-aryl substituents was inconsistent with electronic effects. The ortho substitution in 1–2 resulted in a marked increase in stability of the dioxetanes. The results are discussed in relation to a diradical-like mechanism.     

The reaction of OH with NO2 and the deactivation of O(1D) by CO

NO₂ was photolyzed with 2288 Å radiation at 300° and 423°K in the presence of H₂O, CO, and in some cases excess He. The photolysis produces O(¹D) atoms which react with H₂O to give HO radicals or are deactivated by CO to O(³P) atoms The ratio k₅/k₃ is temperature dependent, being 0.33 at 300°K and 0.60 at 423°K. From these two points, the Arrhenius expression is estimated to be k₅/k₃ = 2.6 exp(?1200/RT) where R is in cal/mole – °K. The OH radical is either removed by NO₂ or reacts with CO The ratio k₂/k^α is 0.019 at 300°K and 0.027 at 423°K, and the ratio k₂/k⁰ is 1.65 × 10^?5M at 300°K and 2.84 × 10^?5M at 423°K, with H₂O as the chaperone gas, where k^α = k₁ in the high-pressure limit and k⁰[M] = k₁ in the low-pressure limit. When combined with the value of k₂ = 4.2 × 10⁸ exp(?1100/RT) M^?1sec^?1, k^α = 6.3 × 10⁹ exp (?340/RT)M^?1sec^?1 and k⁰ = 4.0 × 10¹²M^?2sec^?1, independent of temperature for H₂O as the chaperone gas. He is about 1/8 as efficient as H₂O.     

Radical polymerization behavior of trimethoxyvinylsilane

Trimethoxyvinylsilane (TMVS) was quantitatively polymerized at 130 °C in bulk, using dicumyl peroxide (DCPO) as initiator. The polymerization of TMVS with DCPO was kinetically studied in dioxane by Fourier transform near‐infrared spectroscopy. The overall activation energy of the bulk polymerization was estimated to be 112 kJ/mol. The initial polymerization rate (R_p) was expressed by R_p = k[DCPO]^0.6[TMVS]^1.0 at 120 °C, being closely similar to that of the conventional radical polymerization involving bimolecular termination. The polymerization system involved electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopically observable polymer radicals under the actual polymerization conditions. ESR‐determined apparent rate constants of propagation and termination were 13 L/mol s and 3.1 × 10⁴ L/mol s at 120 °C, respectively. The molecular weight of the resulting poly(TMVS)s was low (M_n = 2.0–4.4 × 10³), because of the high chain transfer constant (C_mtr = 4.2 × 10^?2 at 120 °C) to the monomer. The bulk copolymerization of TMVS (M₁) and vinyl acetate (M₂) at 120 °C gave the following copolymerization parameters: r_l = 1.4, r₂ = 0.24, Q₁ = 0.084, and e₁ = +0.80. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 5864–5871, 2005     

Kinetic Study of Cationic Polymerization of α-Methylstyrene Initiated by BuOTICl3 In Dlchloromethane Solution

The cationic polymerization of α-methylstyrene Initiated by n-BuOTiCl₃ has been studied at -70° C in dlchloromethane solution by using a calorlmetric technique. Polymerizations were performed under high vacuum either in dry conditions for which low monomer conversions were observed (4-12%), or In the presence of added cocatalyst (H₂O or HCl). In these last cases, yields were quantitative, and it was shown that polymerization rate was proportional to added water concentration and first order with respect to catalyst and to monomer. A kinetic scheme is proposed, based on a monomer-Independent initiation step and on a unimolecular termination process. At -70° C, the initiation rate is higher than termination rate during the whole course of the polymerization, and the concentration of active centers increases continuously. The following rate constants were found at -70°C: k_i. = 17 ± 6, k = 2.2 ± 1.1 ± 10⁴,k_trm = 30 ± 15 liter/mole-Sec, and k_t =0 54 ± 0 05 sec^?1. At -50 and -30° C, the concentration of active centers goes through a maximum during the polymerization and incomplete monomer conversions were observed, showing that all the catalyst is consumed. The different rate constants were tentatively estimated at these temperatures by using a simulation method, and this led to a negative value of ca. -7 kcal/mole for the apparent activation energy for propagation, and to a value of ～ 5 kcal/ mole for E_i. The observation of a negative (E_p)_app might be explained either by a shift of the dissociation equilibrium of the growing ends or by a solvation process of these growing ends by monomer prior to the propagation step.     

Molecular weight distribution studies. I. Radiation-induced polymerization of liquid α-methylstyrene

The concentration of water in purified and BaO-dried α-methylstyrene was found to be 1.1 × 10^?4M. The radiation-induced bulk polymerization of the α-methylstyrene thus prepared was studied in the temperature range of ?20°C to 35°C. The polymerization rate varied as the 0.55 power of the dose rate. The theoretical molecular weights and molecular weight distribution were calculated from a proposed kinetic scheme and these values were then compared with those found experimentally. The agreement between these two was reasonably close, and therefore it was concluded that, from the molecular weight distribution point of view, the proposed kinetic scheme for the cationic polymerization of α-methylstyrene is an acceptable one. The rate constant for chain transfer to monomer k_f changed with temperature and was found to be responsible for the decrease in the molecular weight of the polymer with increase in temperature. k_f and k_p at 20°C were found to be 0.95 × 10⁴ l./mole-sec and 0.99 × 10⁶ l./mole-sec, respectively.     

Studies on polymerization of vinyl acetate using ylide as an initiator and degradative transfer agent

The polymerization of vinyl acetate initiated by β-picolinium-p-chlorophenacylide was carried out at 30, 35, and 40°C, using the conventional dilatometric technique. The initiator and the monomer exponent values were 0.80 ± 0.15 and unity, respectively. The polymerization was inhibited in the presence of hydroquinone, but was favored by nonpolar solvent and polymerization temperature. The energy of activation was 90.3 kJ mol^?1. An average value of k/k_t for the present system was found to be 0.37 × 10^?2 L mol^?1 s^?1. The results are explained in terms of radical mode of polymerization with degradative initiator transfer; the principal mode of termination, however, was biomolecular.     

Laser‐induced decomposition of 2,2‐dimethoxy‐2‐phenylacetophenone and benzoin in methyl methacrylate homopolymerization studied via matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry

Pulsed laser polymerization (PLP) experiments were performed on the bulk polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) at ?34 °C. The aim of this study was to investigate the polymer end groups formed during the photoinitiation process of MMA monomer using 2,2‐dimethoxy‐2‐phenylacetophenone (DMPA) and benzoin as initiators via matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight (MALDI‐TOF) mass spectrometry. Analysis of the MALDI‐TOF spectra indicated that the two radical fragments generated upon pulsed laser irradiation show markedly different reactivity toward MMA: whereas the benzoyl fragment—common to both DMPA and benzoin—clearly participates in the initiation process, the acetal and benzyl alcohol fragments cannot be identified as end groups in the polymer. The complexity of the MALDI‐TOF spectrum strongly increased with increasing laser intensity, this effect being more pronounced in the case of benzoin. This indicates that a cleaner initiation process is at work when DMPA is used as the photoinitiator. In addition, the MALDI‐TOF spectra were analyzed to extract the propagation‐rate coefficient, k_p, of MMA at ?34 °C. The obtained value of k_p = 43.8 L mol^?1 s^?1 agrees well with corresponding numbers obtained via size exclusion chromatography (k_p = 40.5 L mol^?1 s^?1). © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 675–681, 2002; DOI 10.1002/pola.10150