Photo and thermal polymerizations sensitized by donor–acceptor interaction. II. Photopolymerization and electronic spectroscopy of the isobutyl vinyl ether–acrylonitrile system

Photopolymerization of acrylonitrile (AN), an acceptor monomer, was found to be accelerated in the presence of isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE), a donor monomer. The propagation is completed by a radical mechanism as judged by copolymer compositions; in contrast to the N-vinylcarbazole–AN system studied previously. This photopolymerization system is entirely stable if kept in the dark. The comparison of the relation between R_p and [IBVE]/[AN] ratio in the monomer feed found for the spontaneous photopolymerization with that for radical polymerization initiated by azobisisobutylonitrile in the dark leads to the conclusion that the rate of photoinitiation is enhanced by the interaction between AN and IBVE, whereas the propagation step by a radical mechanism is retarded by increasing concentration of IBVE. The contact charge-transfer complex between IBVE and AN was confirmed by electronic spectroscopy of the polymerization system, which showed photosensitization by charge-transfer interaction. The spectroscopic study of other weak donor–weak acceptor systems is also discussed.     

Polymerization of Styrene Initiated by Photoexcited Charge-Transfer Complex

Photopolymerization of styrene in the presence of pyromellitic dianhydride, an electron acceptor which forms a charge-transfer complex with the monomer, was studied. Polymerization was initiated by illumination with a light of wavelength longer than 350 nm, where only the charge-transfer absorption band exists. It was found that the reaction involves cationic and radical polymerizations and that the reaction course strongly depends on polarity of the system. It was also suggested by the dependence of the rate of polymerization on light intensity and temperature that the cationic polymerization consists of free ion and ion-pair polymerizations. These results were compared with those of the photoinduced cationic polymerization of α-methylstyrene, which has previously been studied.     

Verification of transfer-suppressed cationic polymerization of vinyl monomers

A general approach to a transfer-suppressed proceeding of cationic vinyl polymerization is put forward. The fundamental principle of the method consists in stabilization of the counter-ion by interaction with acceptors. This results in an orbital controlled cation-anion interaction and by this, suppression of side reactions, for example chain transfer due to lowering the ß-hydrogen acidity of the growing cation and the specific monomer solvation of the propagation transition state. It is shown that picric acid, initiated polymerization of p-methoxyatyrene and vinyl ethers, runs free of transfer in contrast to LEWIS-acid initiated systems. Cationic polymerization, initiated by iodine based systems, are in the same category as demonstrated by molecular weight distributions, monomer addition experiments, thermokinetical data and UV-spectroscopical measurements. The results are discussed in the framework of a general energetic scheme of propagation via cation-anion orbital controlled interactions with propagating ion pairs.     

Kinetic study of the alternating copolymerization of butadiene and methyl methacrylate

A kinetic investigation of the alternating copolymerization of butadiene and methyl methacrylate with the use of a system of ethylaluminum dichloride and vanadyl chloride as a catalyst was undertaken. The relation between the polymer yield and the molar fraction of methyl methacrylate in the feed was examined by continuous variation of butadiene and methyl methacrylate, the concentrations of total monomer, ethylaluminum dichloride, and vanadyl chloride being kept constant. This continuous variation method revealed that the polymer yield attains its maximum value with a monomer feed containing less than the 0.5 molar fraction of methyl methacrylate. This value of the molar fraction of methyl methacrylate affording the maximum polymer yield decreased on increasing the total monomer concentration but was not changed on varying the concentration of ethylaluminum dichloride. The number of active species estimated from the relation between yield and molecular weight of the polymer was almost constant, regardless of the molar fraction of methyl methacrylate in the feed. Consequently, it can be said that the maximum polymer yield depends mainly on the propagation reaction, not on the initiation reaction or the termination reaction. Three types of the mechanism have been discussed for this alternating copolymerization: polymerization via alternating addition of butadiene and methyl methacrylate complexed with ethylaluminum dichloride by the Lewis-Mayo scheme; polymerization via the ternary intermediate of butadiene, methyl methacrylate, and ethylaluminum dichloride; polymerization via the complex formation of butadiene and methyl methacrylate complexed with ethylaluminum dichloride occurring only at the growing polymer radical. From the kinetic results obtained, it was shown that the first and third schemes are excluded, and polymerization by way of the ternary intermediate is compatible with the data.     

Radical copolymerization of sulfur dioxide and chloroprene

The radical copolymerization of sulfur dioxide and chloroprene (CP) in benzene was carried out, especially as a function of the total monomer concentration ([SO₂] + [CP]). The composition of chloroprene polysulfones varies mainly with total monomer concentration and with polymerization temperature, but depends very slightly on feed composition. The microstructure of chloroprene units in chloroprene polysulfone was such that the trans-1,4 unit was predominantly over the cis-1,4 unit. Thus it would seem possible to rule out both radical copolymerization mechanisms, i.e., propagation of separate monomers as explained by the Lewis-Mayo equation, and propagation processes involving a monomer charge-transfer complex.     

Studies on monomer reactivity ratios. II. A charge-transfer model

A charge-transfer model is proposed for the treatment of monomer reactivity ratios in free-radical bulk polymerization. The procedure involves the assignment of three parameters to each monomer, which can be interpreted as being related to the energies of the highest occupied monomer orbital, the singly occupied radical orbital, and the lowest lying virtual orbital of the monomer. Parameters are found for 17 monomers and computed reactivity ratios for a large number of copolymer systems are tabulated and compared with experiment. Similarities of the present model and the electronegativity scheme are discussed.     

The Role of Donor-Acceptor Complexes in the Initiation of Ionic Polymerization

Work carried out in the past few years aimed at elucidating the mechanism of initiation of vinyl polymerization when a donor and an acceptor molecule, one or both of which may be vinyl monomers, is summarized. The emphasis of our investigation has been on polymerizable ether donors and strong electron acceptors which do not undergo polymerization, or the acceptor vinylidene cyanide. Alkyl vinyl ethers were polymerized in the presence of tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) and 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-p-benzoquinone (DDQ) in polar solvents. Observation of the ESR spectrum of the DDQ radical anion and the isolation of a 1:1 addition product of DDQ and alkyl vinyl ether when the two are mixed in a 1:1 ratio and quenched in alcohol support an initiation mechanism involving a coupling reaction of the donor monomer (radical cation) and the acceptor initiator (radical anion). The reaction of vinylidene cyanide (VC) with the vinyl ethers p-dioxene, dihydropyran, ethyl vinyl ether, isopropyl vinyl ether, and ketene diethylacetal in a variety of solvents at 25°C spontaneously afforded poly(vinylidene cyanide), the cycloaddition products 7,7-dicyano-2,5-dioxo-bicyclo[4.2.0] octane, 8,8-dicyano-2-oxo-bicyclo[4.2.0] octane, the 1,1-dicyano-2-alkoxycyclo-butanes, and 1,1-diethoxy-2,2,4,4-tetracyanohexane, respectively, and with the exception of p-dioxene, homopolymers of the vinyl ethers. In the presence of AIBN at 80°C, alternating copolymers were obtained in addition to the homopolymers and cycloaddition products, supporting the involvement of donor-acceptor complexes. The reaction of styrene with VC spontaneously formed an alternating copolymer in addition to the 1:2 head-to-head cycloaddition product, 1,1,3,3-tetracyano-4-phenylcyclohexane. Mixing VC with any one of the cyclic ethers tetrahydrofuran, oxetane, 2,2-dimethyloxirane, 2-chloromethyloxirane, and phenyloxirane resulted in the polymerization of both the VC and the cyclic ether to afford homopolymers of both. The cyclic ethers trioxane, 3,3-bis(chloromethyl)oxetane, and oxirane initiated the polymerization of VC, but did not undergo ring-opening polymerizations themselves. Other ethers such as 1,3-dioxolane, tetrahydropyran, and diethyl ether did not initiate the polymerization of VC. In these polymerizations, VC and the cyclic ethers polymerize via anionic and cationic propagation reactions, respectively.     

Interaction of epoxy and vinyl ethers during photoinitiated cationic polymerization

A kinetic study of the independent and simultaneous photoinitiated cationic polymerization of a number of epoxide and vinyl (enol) ether monomer pairs was conducted. The results show that, although no appreciable copolymerization takes place, these monomers undergo complex interactions with one another. These interactions are highly dependent on the epoxide monomer employed. In all cases, the rate of epoxide ring-opening polymerization is accelerated, whereas that of the vinyl ether is depressed. When highly reactive cycloaliphatic epoxides are subjected to photoinitiated cationic polymerization in the presence of vinyl ethers, the two polymerizations proceed in a sequential fashion, with the vinyl ether polymerization taking place after the epoxide polymerization is essentially complete. A mechanism involving an equilibration between alkoxy-carbenium and oxonium ions has been proposed to explain the results. In addition, the free-radical-induced decomposition of the diaryliodonium salt photoinitiator also takes place, leading to a decrease in the induction period. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 4007–4018, 1999     

Mechanism of alternating copolymerization of polar and hydrocarbon polymers

Radical copolymerization of butyl methacrylate with 2,3-dimethylbutadiene in the presence of Al(C₂H₅)₂Cl or ZnCl₂ results in alternating copolymers. The nature of active centers and the mechanism of polymerization in these systems have been studied by means of ESR measurements in combination with calorimetry at low temperatures. The active centers are monoradicals propagating by alternative addition of single monomer molecules; thus the reaction can be described in terms of a conventional kinetic scheme of radical additional polymerization. Participation of binary donor—acceptor complexes of the monomers in the reaction has not been confirmed. Similar conclusions have been drawn for the other alternating system studied, maleic anhydride–2,3-dimethylbutadiene. The feasibility of formation of alternating copolymers in the studied systems by the conventional mechanism of binary radical copolymerization has been confirmed by qualitative quantum-chemical treatment of the propagation reactions with due account to the donor–acceptor interactions in the transition state.     

Copolymers containing alternating sequences of nucleic acid base pairs. III. Spectroscopic studies

A study was conducted of the complementary base pair interactions between various pairs of electron-donor monomers, electron-acceptor monomers, homopolymers and alternating copolymers selected from the following group: ( 1 ) 9-(2-vinyloxyethyl)adenine; ( 2 ) 1-(2-vinyloxyethyl)thymine; ( 3 ) 1-(2-vinyloxyethyl)cytosine; ( 4 ) 9-(2-maleimidoethyl)adenine; ( 5 ) 6-chloro-9-(2-maleimidoethyl)purine; ( 6 ) 1-(2-maleimidoethyl)thymine; ( 7 ) 1-(2-maleimidoethyl)cytosine; ( 8 ) homopolymer of ( 4 ); ( 9 ) homopolymer of ( 6 ); ( 10 ) alternating copolymer of ( 2 ) and maleic anhydride; ( 11 ) alternating copolymer of ( 2 ) and ( 5 ); and ( 12 ) alternating copolymer of ( 2 ) and ( 4 ). By ¹H-NMR, in CDCL₃, the base pair interactions between ( 1 ) and ( 2 ) were shown to be hydrogen bonding, the extent of which was shown by a calculated binding constant, K = 61.81 L/mol. The nature of this interaction was conformed by IR. Neither monomer pairs ( 1 )/( 2 ) nor ( 4 )/( 6 ) exhibited hydrogen bonding in DMSO-d₆. However, hydrogen bonding interaction was observed for DMSO-d₆ solutions of homopolymers ( 8 ) and ( 9 ) and for alternating copolymer ( 12 ). On the basis of an upfield chemical shift of the 2- and 8-aromatic protons of ademine of ( 1 ) in D₂O, a partial overlap stacking interaction is proposed. No charge-transfer interactions could be observed by UV between donor-acceptor monomer pairs.     

Hollow latex particles as submicrometer reactors for polymerization in confined geometries

A method was developed for free‐radical polymerization in the confines of a hollow latex particle. Hollow particles were prepared via the dynamic swelling method from polystyrene seed and divinylbenzene and had hollows of 500–1000 nm. So that these hollow poly(divinylbenzene) particles could function as submicrometer reactors, the particles were filled with a monomer (N‐isopropylacrylamide) via the dispersion of the dried particles in the molten monomer. The monomer that was not contained in the hollows was removed by washing and gentle abrasion. Free‐radical polymerization was then initiated by γ radiolysis in the solid state. Transmission electron microscopy showed that poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) formed in the hollow interior of the particles, which functioned as submicrometer reactors. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 5706–5713, 2004     

Terpolymerization of Cyclic Ethers with Cyclic Anhydride

Abstract

A unique solution polymerization and polymer family have been discovered in the ring-opening terpolymerization of three heterocyclic monomers initiated by organometallic compounds, particularly trialkylaluminum. The products have repeating ether-ester-ester linkages along the chain and are alternating terpolymers, … ABCABCABC…, of three different monomers A, B, and C. Monomer A is a four- or five-membered cyclic oxide, such as tetrahydro-furan or oxocylobutane (oxetane). Monomer B is an epox-ide, and Monomer C is a cyclic acid anhydride. Many epoxides and anhydrides participate in the polymerization which enables the preparation of alternating terpolymers containing various substituents and unsaturatlons at regu-lar intervals along the chain. The alternating sequence can be near-perfect or less so depending on the initial monomer charge ratio. Evidence of the alternating struc-ture was obtained by chemical and NMR analyses of polymer sampled at intermediate and final conversions, and by glass transition temperatures.     

An alternating copolymer of maleimide and atropic acid with narrow molecular weight distribution prepared by radical mechanism

Three basic conditions for preparation of alternating copolymer with narrow molecular weight distribution were derived from the element kinetic equations of binary radical copolymerization. Using maleimide (MI) and atropie acid (ATA) as model monomer pairs and dioxane as the solvent the alternating copolymer with molecular weight distribution in the range of 1.09--1.20 was prepared successfully by charger transfer complex (CTC) mechanism in the presence of benzoyl peroxide at 85℃. The monomer reactivity ratioes r_1(MI)=0.05±0.01 and r_2(ATA)=0.03±0.02 were measured. The alternating eopolymerization was carried out through formation of a contact-type CTG and then alternating addition of MI and ATA monomers. The molecular weight of the copolymers is nearly independent of the feed ratio in a large range and the polymerization rate dropped with an increase in ATA in feed ratio.     

Termination and other processes in the polymerization of p-methoxystyrene and 2,2-dideutero-p-methoxystyrene

The uncatalysed thermally initiated free radical bulk polymerization of ?-methoxystyrene and 2,2-dideutero-?-methoxystyrene (65% deuterated) have been studied at 80, 100 and 120°.Both the rate of polymerization and the degree of polymerization are increased by deuteration, as would be expected from the deuterium kinetic isotope effect if disproportionation plays a part in the radical termination process. The effect of deuteration is least at the highest temperature, but it is shown that this does not mean that the extent of disproportionation decreases with increasing temperature.From a comparison of the effect of deuteration on the polymerization rate with its effect on the degree of polymerization, it is concluded that the transfer constant to monomer is less for the deuterated material than for the undeuterated material. It is suggested that the transfer process probably involves the donation of a deuterium or hydrogen atom from the growing radical to the monomer.     

Controlled Radical Polymerization of Furfuryl Methacrylate

Atom transfer radical polymerization provides a new method of controlled radical polymerization. The most important advantage of ATRP is that it is tolerant to the different functional groups present in the initiator as well as in the monomer. Furfuryl Methacrylate (FMA) is a specialty monomer, which has applications in coatings, adhesives and in biomedicals. Conventional radical polymerization of FMA leads to excessive gel formation, which limits its applications. In this investigation homo and co-polymerization of FMA has been carried out via ATRP. ATRP of FMA was carried out using CuBr as catalyst and 1, 1, 4, 7, 10, 10 hexamethyltriethylenetetramine (HMTETA) as ligand. There was no gel formation during the polymerization. ATRP of FMA was well controlled with a linear increase of molecular weight (Mn) with monomer conversion. The polymers were characterized by using ¹HNMR, FT-IR and GPC analysis. Interestingly, it was observed that the furfuryl ring was not affected during polymerization.     

Hydroperoxide-initiated copolymerization of sulfur dioxide and cyclohexene. I. Characterization of charge-transfer complex and initiation

The copolymerization of cyclohexene and sulfur dioxide to form an alternating copolymer was initiated by tert-butyl hydroperoxide. The enthalpies and entropies of formation of the cyclohexene-sulfur dioxide charge-transfer complex, which is present during the copolymerization, were determined in two solvents by means of ultraviolet spectroscopy. The reduction of ultraviolet absorption during copolymerization afforded a convenient means of investigating reaction kinetics. No evidence of the direct involvement of the complex in polymerization initiation was found. The observation that the use of unpurified cyclohexene led to spontaneous initiation appears to point to adventitiously formed hydroperoxide rather than the charge-transfer complex as providing initiating radicals which are produced by the redox reaction of the hydroperoxide with sulfur dioxide. A competing heterolytic scission reaction was found to result in the formation of tert-butyl peroxide and sulfuric acid. This reaction caused the polymerization reaction to stop after a short period of time due to a time-dependent decrease in initiator concentration.     

On the role of oil-soluble initiators in the radical polymerization of micellar systems

Polymerization in micellar systems is a technique which allows the preparation of ultrafine as well as coarse latex particles. This article presents a review of the current literature in the field of radical polymerization of classical monomers in micellar systems initiated by oil-soluble initiators. Besides a short introduction to some of the kinetic aspects of emulsion polymerization initiated by water-soluble initiators, we mainly focus on the kinetics and the mechanism of radical polymerization in o/w and w/o micellar systems initiated by classical oil-soluble initiators. The initiation of emulsion polymerization of an unsaturated monomer (styrene, butyl acrylate,...) by a water-soluble initiator (ammonium peroxodisulfate) is well understood. It starts in the aqueous phase and the initiating radicals enter the monomer-swollen micelle. The formed oligomeric radicals are surface active and increase the colloidal stability of the disperse system. Besides, the charged initiating radicals might experience the energetic barrier when entering the charged particle surface. The locus of initiation with oil-soluble initiators is more complex. It can partition between the aqueous-phase and the oil-phase. Besides, the surface-active oil-soluble initiator can penetrate into the interfacial layer. The dissolved oil-soluble initiator in the monomer droplet can experience the cage effect. The small fraction of the oil-soluble initiator dissolved in the aqueous phase takes part in the formation of radicals. The oligomeric radicals formed are uncharged and therefore, they do not experience the energetic barrier when entering the polymer particles. We summarize and discuss the experimental data of radical polymerization of monomers initiated by oil-soluble initiators in terms of partitioning an initiator among the different domains of the multiphase system. The inhibitor approach is used to model the formation of radicals and their history during the polymerization. The nature of the interfacial layer and the type of oil-soluble initiator including the surface active ones are related to the kinetic and colloidal parameters. The emulsifier type and reaction conditions in the polymerization are summarized and discussed.     

Investigation of the macromolecular stable free nitroxide radical

Polystyrene containing t-butyl nitroxide groups was prepared via polymer-analogous reactions and characterized by ESR measurements. Polymerizations of MMA and styrene initiated by AIBN at 50° have been investigated in the presence of the polymeric radical samples. A definite inhibiting effect was observed without retardation of the polymerization of either monomer. A linear relationship was found between the concentration of the polymeric inhibitor and the inhibition period.     

Reaction of electrochemically produced radical cations with organic monomers

The reactivity of free radical cations, produced by anodic oxidation of 9, 10-diphenylanthracene (and perylene), with polymerizable organic monomers has been investigated by amperometry.It results that the radical cations, which are relatively stable in acetonitrile and nitrobenzene, decay with the monomer substrate by either an addition reaction or an electron transfer process. The cationic species of the monomer thus produced by catalyze the cationic polymerization of the substrate.The cationic polymerization initiated in this way has been investigated in the case of styrene: this reaction shows some similarity with the process initiated by perchloric acid, but carbonium ion carriers seem to give the main contribution to the propagation stage.     

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.