Structure and Reactivity Relationships in the Photoinitiated Cationic Polymerization of Oxetane Monomers

Abstract

A series of oxetane-containing monomers possessing several different types of functional groups has been prepared and characterized. These monomers were compared among themselves, and conclusions were drawn with respect to the influence of structure on their reactivities in photoinitiated cationic polymerization.     

Photoinitiated Free Radical Polymerization Using Benzoxazines as Hydrogen Donors

Summary: Free radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) is initiated upon irradiation at λ > 350 nm in CH₂Cl₂ that contains benzoxazine (P‐a) and one of the following photosensitizers: benzophenone (BP), thioxanthone (TX), 2‐chlorothioxanthone (CTX), 2‐isopropyl thioxanthone (ITX), and camphorquinone (CQ). The postulated mechanism is based on the intermolecular reaction of the excited photosensitizer with the tertiary amino moiety of the ground state P‐a and a subsequent hydrogen abstraction reaction. The resulting aminoalkyl radicals initiate the polymerization. The incorporation of P‐a groups into polymers is demonstrated by spectroscopic methods. The possibility of deep curing using the described photoinitiating system followed by the thermal ring opening of the incorporated P‐a groups is also demonstrated.

Schematic of the photoinitiated free radical polymerization using benzoxazines as hydrogen donors.     

Wavelength Flexibility in Photoinitiated Cationic Polymerization

The spectral sensitivity of onium salt photoinitiators in cationic polymerization can be tuned from the short wavelength region of the UV spectrum to wavelengths up to the visible region by using direct and indirect activation, respectively. Indirect activation is based on the electron transfer reactions between onium salts and free radical photoinitiators, appropriate sensitizers and compounds capable of forming charge transfer complexes. Bisacylphosphine oxides, dimanganese decacarbonyl in conjunction with alkyl halides and titanocene type photoinitiators such as Irgacure 784 were shown to be useful free radical promoters providing the possibility of performing cationic polymerization in the long wavelength and visible region. The synthetic routes to prepare block copolymers by using electron transfer photosensitization and free radical promoted cationic polymerization are also described.     

Photoactivated Cationic Frontal Polymerization

Photoactivated cationic ring-opening polymerizations of certain oxirane and oxetane monomers take place in a frontal manner. The study of the frontal behavior of those monomers was conducted using a new analytical technique involving optical pyrometry that provides insight into the mechanism of these polymerizations.     

Photoinitiated cationic polymerization of monofunctional benzoxazine

The photoinitiated ring‐opening cationic polymerization of a monofunctional benzoxazine, 3‐phenyl‐3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐1,3‐benzoxazine, with onium salts such as diphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate and triphenylsulfonium hexafluorophosphate as initiators was examined. The structures of the polymers thus formed were complex and related to the ring‐opening process of the protonated monomer either at the oxygen or nitrogen atoms. The phenolic mechanism also contributed, but its influence decreased with decreasing monomer concentration. Thermal properties of the polymers were also investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 3320–3328, 2003     

Cationic Polymerization: New Developments and Applications

The chemistry and technology of photoinitiated cationic polymerization is a rapidly advancing field of investigation. This article reports on recent developments made in our laboratory in the development of new photoinitiators and photosensitizers. S,S-Dialkyl-S-phenacylsulfonium salts have been prepared using a new, highly efficient and cost-effective synthetic method and their use in the polymerization of various monomer systems studied. Also described is the development of alkoxyanthracene photosensitizers that may be employed to broaden the spectral sensitivity of various onium salt photoinitiators including the new S,S-dialkyl-S-phenacylsulfonium salts. A marked acceleration of the rate of the ring-opening polymerization of epoxide monomers was achieved using these photosensitizers. This article concludes with a brief discussion of the use of photoinitiated cationic polymerizations in such typical applications as can coatings, silicone release coatings and in stereolithography.     

Photoinitiated Cationic Polymerization of 3-Ethyl-3-(phenoxymethyl)-oxetane in Nitrogen Atmosphere

Abstract

The photoinitiated cationic polymerizations of 3-ethyl-3-(phenoxymethyl)-oxetane (PhO) and phenyl glycidyl ether (PhE) with diphenyl-4-thiophenoxyphenyl sulfonium hexafluoroantimonate as the cationic photoinitiator were carried out in air and nitrogen atmospheres. A real time FT-IR method was used to estimate the polymerization rates. The number-average molecular weight (M _n) of the resulting polymers were measured by gel permeation chromatography. In nitrogen, the photopolymerization rate of PhO was more than four times greater than in air, while there was no essential difference for PhE. The M _n of the PhO polymer increased from 13,900 (in air) to 61,200 (in nitrogen) at the peak top. The fast polymerization mechanism in nitrogen was postulated to be the radical-assisted decomposition of the sulfonium salt.     

氧杂环丁烷开环聚合

合成了以丙腈基和三甘醇单甲醚为侧基的两类聚氧杂环丁烷POE与POA。用GPC测定了其分子量和分子量分布,用^1H—NMR和^13C-NMR谱表征了聚舍物的结构。认为活性链端机理和活性单体机理两种机理的相互竞争、相互转换可解释氧杂环丁烷阳离子开环聚合反应中无法通过单体与引发剂的摩尔浓度比来调节聚舍物分子量,分子量分布宽,并伴有大量齐聚物生成的现象。采用逐滴进样可使AM机理占据主导地位,从而得到分子量可控的较窄分布的聚氧杂环丁烷。测试了聚合物与高氯酸锂复配后的电导率,结果表明;氧／锂摩尔比为20／1时,POE的室温电导率为10^-4.43S／cm,80℃时为10^-3.44S／cm。     

Radical-Promoted Visible Light Photoinitiated Cationic Polymerization of Epoxides

Herein is described the development of a three-component photoinitiator system that employs the free radical promoted decomposition of diaryliodonium salts for the visible light induced cationic polymerization of epoxides. A long wavelength, titanium-complex free radical photoinitiator is used to generate radicals that abstract hydrogen atoms from benzyl alcohol synergists. The resulting benzyl radical species efficiently reduce diaryliodonium salts thereby generating oxycarbenium ions that spontaneously fragment to form the corresponding aldehyde and a Br?nsted superacid. The superacid subsequently initiates the cationic ring-opening polymerization of a wide variety of epoxide monomers.     

4-乙烯基-1-环己烯二环氧化物阳离子单体光聚合性能研究

本文用实时红外光谱研究了4-乙烯基-1-环己烯二环氧化物(TTA22)单体的光聚合性能。分别考察了光引发剂浓度、光源、光强及增感剂浓度对其光聚合性能的影响。选用3,4-环氧环己基甲酸-3′,4′-环氧环己基甲酯(TTA21)作为参照,比较了不同单体的光固化性能。结果表明,随着引发剂浓度以及光强的增加,环氧基转化率及转化速率随之增加。LED光源下单体的转化率和转化速率低于UV汞灯。对TTA22和TTA21光固化后材料的热稳定性进行分析,结果显示TTA21的热稳定性优于TTA22的。     

阳离子聚合的进展

首先介绍了阳离子聚合的简史,由于阳离子高活性的特点使其发展较慢,阳离子聚合研究的突破来自对引发反应的深入理解,而近代阳离子聚合的要点则在于使链引发、链增长和链终止成为可控。阳离子聚合的进展密切与大分子工程相关。本文对活性阳郭聚合做了较详细的讨论。并举遥爪聚人事物及嵌段聚合物的研究成就。最后,提出了阳离子聚合是发展中的问题供参考。     

New Photoinitiating Systems for Cationic Polymerization Acting at Near UV and Visible Range

Summary: New photoiniting systems for cationic polymerization acting at near UV and visible range are described. The applicability of acylgermanes as a new class of free radical promoters for photoinitiated cationic polymerization is demonstrated. Moreover, the use of substituted vinyl halides as source for readily oxidizable free radicals is presented. The polymerization of vinyl ethers can be initiated by the irradiation of substituted vinyl halides in the presence of Lewis acids such as zinc halide. Furthermore, possibilities for conducting cationic polymerization at visible range by using highly conjugated thiophene derivatives are demonstrated. Mechanistic aspects of all initiating systems are discussed.     

Photoinitiated cationic polymerization using o-phthaldehyde and pyridinium salt

The cationic polymerization of cyclohexene oxide (CHO), n-butyl vinylether (BVE), N-vinylcarbazole (NVC), and 4-vinyl cyclohexenedioxide (4-VCHD) is initiated upon UV irradiation (Λ_inc. = 350 nm) of dichloromethane solution containing N-ethoxy-2-methyl-pyridinium hexafluorophosphate (EMP⁺PF₆) and o-phthaldehyde. A feasible initiation mechanism involves formation of biradical by intramolecular hydrogen abstraction of triplet o-phthaldehyde. Oxidation of these radicals by EMP⁺ ions yields protons capable of initiating the cationic polymerization. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

一氯代八甲基环四硅氧烷阳离子聚合动力学

合成了八甲基环四硅氧烷的一氯取代物,并以其为单体,98%浓硫酸为催化剂,采用称重法研究了一氯代八甲基环四硅氧烷阳离子开环的本体聚合动力学,探讨了温度,催化剂浓度对其聚合速率常数的影响.研究表明:温度,催化剂浓度对一氯代八甲基环四硅氧烷的聚合速率有显著影响,其聚合活化能是40.37kJ.mol-1;与八甲基环四硅氧烷阳离子开环聚合相比,氯代甲基使硅氧烷的开环聚合速率减慢,聚合活化能升高.     

Redox Intitiated Cationic Polymerization

Two novel redox initiator systems have been developed for carrying out the cationic polymerizations of vinyl and heterocyclic monomers. The initiators are based on various onium salts as the oxidant together with an alkylborane or an organosilane as the reducing agent. Using both redox cationic initiator systems, the polymerizations of a wide variety of monomers can be carried out at or below room temperature in the presence or absence of unreactive solvents. Also described in this communication is the novel use of a two-component redox system in which the reducing agent, a silane, is delivered to the monomer sample in the vapor state. Optical pyrometry (infrared thermography) was employed as a convenient method with which to monitor the polymerizations in real-time. A study of the effects of variations in the structures of the onium salt, the silane and the type of noble metal catalyst were carried out. The use of these initiator systems for carrying out commercially attractive crosslinking polymerizations for coatings, composites and electronic encapsulations is discussed.     

乙烯基阳离子聚合引发剂的新进展

本文围绕着乙烯基阳离子聚合这一核心，简要地介绍了近年来在阳离子聚合引发剂方面取得的新进展，包括活性阳离子聚合和普通阳离子聚合引发剂两个部分。     

Hyperbranched Polymers by Type II Photoinitiated Self‐Condensing Vinyl Polymerization

Type II photoinitiated self‐condensing vinyl polymerization for the preparation of hyperbranched polymers is explored using 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) or 2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA), and methyl methacrylate as hydrogen donating inimers and comonomer, respectively, in the presence of benzophenone and camphorquinone under UV and visible light. Upon irradiation at the corresponding wavelength, the excited photoinitiator abstracts hydrogen from HEMA or DMAEMA leading to the formation of initiating radicals. Depending on the concentration of inimers, type of the photoinitiator, and irradiation time, hyperbranched polymers with different branching densities and cross‐linked polymers are formed.

     

Polymerization Processes in Ionic Liquids. Cationic Polymerization of Styrene

There is an increasing interest in using ionic liquids as solvents for polymerization processes. Most published data deals with controlled radical polymerization. It has been shown that ionic liquids offer several advantages for conducting Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP), such as good solubility of catalyst and improved k_p/k_t ratio. Ionic liquids are highly polar therefore they seem to be suitable solvents for conducting also ionic polymerization processes. In our preliminary communication we reported on cationic polymerization of styrene initiated by R-Cl/TiCl₄ system in ionic liquid. To clarify the mechanism of this process, racemization of optically active 1-phenylethyl choride (initiator and the model of dormant species) was studied and it was shown that in ionic liquid racemization proceeds even in the absence of coinitiator (TiCl₄). Because racemization proceeds through ionization of C Cl bond, this explains the cationic polymerization of styrene initiated by R-Cl alone (in the absence of coinitiator). Chain transfer, however, cannot be eliminated, therefore polymerization is not controlled.     

The Synthesis,Characterization, and Photoinitiated Cationic Polymerizaton of Difunctional Oxetanes

Abstract

Seven novel difunctional oxetane monomers have been prepared and characterized using standard spectroscopic techniques. The photoinitiated cationic polymerization of these seven monomers was carried out and their reactivity compared to a typical diepoxide monomer. In these studies the reactivities of the various oxetane monomers were evaluated and compared by three different techniques: gel time measurements, differential scanning photocalorimetry, and real time infrared spectroscopy. It was observed that the difunctional oxetanes are generally more reactive than their structurally similar epoxide counterparts in photoinitiated cationic polymerization.     

Cationic photopolymerization of alkyl glycidyl ethers

An investigation of the photoactivated cationic ring‐opening frontal polymerizations of a series of alkyl glycidyl ethers was carried out with the aid of a novel technique, optical pyrometry. With this technique, the effects of various experimental parameters, such as the photoinitiator type and concentration, as well as the effects of the monomer structure on the frontal behavior of these monomers were examined. Upon irradiation with UV light, the photopolymerizations of many alkyl glycidyl ethers displayed a prominent induction period at room temperature as the result of the formation of long‐lived, relatively stable secondary oxonium ions. The input of only a small amount of thermal activation energy was required to induce the further reaction of these species with the consequent autoaccelerated exothermic ring‐opening polymerization. Photoactivated frontal polymerizations were observed for both mono‐ and polyfunctional alkyl glycidyl ether monomers. The ability of monomers to exhibit frontal behavior was found to be related to their ability to stabilize the secondary oxonium ion intermediates through hydrogen‐bonding effects. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 3036–3052, 2006