Phosphorus ligands for iron(III)‐mediated ATRP of styrene via generation of activators by monomer addition

Styrene polymerization via generation of activators by monomer addition (GAMA) for atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) has been examined extensively with bulk FeX₃ and FeX₂ at 110 °C in conjunction with various phosphorus‐bearing ligands. It was found that GAMA possesses advantages over normal ATRP. Most importantly, narrower polydispersity index (PDI) values were observed from the styrene polymerizations with Fe(III) over those with Fe(II). Every instance of 2‐(diphenylphosphino)‐N,N′‐dimethyl‐[1,1′‐biphenyl]‐2‐amine and 2‐(diphenylphosphino) pyridine with the Fe(III) system were controlled excellently without addition of any radical initiator or reducing agent additives. Initiator type was found to exert a significant factor to influence on the controllability of polymerization. The initiation of 1‐phenylethyl chloride and methyl‐2‐chloropropionate gave rise to formation of polymers with narrow PDI (1.05–1.20), whereas those from 1‐phenylethyl bromide increased to 1.35. The GAMA of bulk styrene exhibited the best performance in terms of both rate and controllability compared with toluene and anisole. Both formation of block copolymer from the macroinitiator and efficient perturbation of polymerization with 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidine 1‐oxyl provided firm evidence to support the living and radical characteristics for the GAMA of styrene. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 144–151, 2010     

Effects of iron(III) chloro complexes on the polymerization of styrene

The polymerization of styrene initiated by 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile has been studied in N,N-dimethylformamide solution at 60°C in the presence of hexakis(N,N-dimethylformamide) iron(III) tetrafluoroborate alone, and also in the presence of added lithium chloride. The presence of Fe(DMF)₆³⁺ ions in the polymerizing systems caused retardation, but iron(III) chloro complexes produced well defined inhibition periods. Velocity constants at 60°C for polystyryl radicals towards Fe(DMF)₆³⁺, Fe(DMF)₅Cl²⁺, Fe(DMF)₄Cl₂⁺, and FeCl₄^? ions were calculated to be 847, 4.15 × 10⁴, 6.55 × 10⁴, and 3.14 × 10⁴ l./mole-sec, respectively. Values of the initiator efficiency f for most systems investigated ranged from 0.59 to 0.62.     

Poly(p-benzamide). II. Thermal behavior and crystal transformations

The thermal behavior and crystal transformation of poly(p-benzamide) are reported. Modification I contains both solvent (N,N-dimethylacetamide) and LiCl in its crystal lattice. Modification II is likely to form a complex crystal with LiCl, whereas crystalline modification III contains neither solvent nor LiCl in its unit cell. The crystal transformation temperature from modification I to II is 214°C, and the crystal–nematic transition temperatures of modification II and III are 475 and 544°C, respectively. Modification III can be obtained from II by heating above 475°C and cooling, or by washing with water. It can also be obtained from modification I by washing with water and annealing.     

Oxidation of Alkenes and Sulfides with Transition Metal Catalysts

Alkenes and sulfides were oxidized with transition-metal catalysts. The oxidant sources include molecular dioxygen, air and iodosylbenzene. The metal ions Mn(III), Fe(III), Co(II) and Ni(II) were used. The Catalysts 1-18 of 1,3-dioxo-, β-ketoimine- or salen-types were prepared and their efficacy was examined. 1,2-Dihydronaphthalene is most efficiently epoxidized with O₂/Me₂CHCHO or PhIO in the presence of Mn(III)-salen catalysts. The Ni(II)-, Co(II)- and Fe(III)-catalysts of either β-ketoimine- or salen-types are useful for epoxidation of styrene, (E)-stilbene and (E)-benzalacetone in the O₂/Me₂HCHO system; these epoxidations are stereospecific without formation of corresponding diastereomeric epoxides. Oxidation of methyl p-tolyl sulfide with O₂/Me₂CHCHO is facilitated by the 1,3-dioxo-catalyst Co(II)-1. Monooxidation is achieved with Me₂CHCHO in equimolar proportions to give the corresponding sulfoxide, whereas overoxidation is realized with excess Me₂CHCHO to give the sulfone. These epoxidation and sulfide oxidations all occur at 25 °C and are complete in less than a day.     

Polymeric catechol derivatives. IV. Polymerization behavior of 4-vinylcatechols and some properties of their polymeric derivatives

The polymerization and copolymerization of 4-vinylcatechols, such as 2-(0-methyl)-4-vinylcatechol (I), 3,4-dimethoxystyrene (II), and 3,4-methylenedioxystyrene (III), were investigated in cyclohexanone at 30°C, using tri-n-butylborane as an initiator. The reactions yielded vinyl polymers and copolymers. The copolymerization parameters of I–III were determined; their Q and e values were found to be similar to those of styrene and vinylhydroquinone. The copolymerization of I–III gave copolymers of a highly alternating character. The thermal stability of the polymers and copolymers so obtained was also studied. The redox potentials of hydroloyzed poly(I) were examined; the reverse “polymer effect” was observed.     

Structure and Chemistry of Malonylmethyl- and Succinyl-Radicals. The search for homolytic 1,2-rearrangements

Malonylmethyl radical I [· CH₂CH(COOEt)₂] and its thioester analogue II [· CH₂CH(COOEt) (COSEt)] were generated by standard photolytic and thermolytic methods from perester and bromo precursors. The structures of I and II were examined by ESR spectroscopy and found to exist in preferred conformations. However, no indication for their rearrangement by 1,2-shift of either an ethoxycarboxyl or (ethylthio)carbonyl group to the corresponding succinyl radicals III and IV , respectively, was found at temperatures below ? 40°C. At higher temperatures of up to 140°C, the search for malonylmethyl → succinyl rearrangement was examined by thorough-product analysis of the perester decomposition. There is evidence for the rearrangement of the radical I to III by photolysis and of the radical II to IV by thermolysis at 130°C in chlorobenzene to only a small extent.     

Effect of phenol and derivatives on atom transfer radical polymerization in the presence of air

The various phenolic compounds in conjunction with Cu(II) or Cu(I)‐N,N,N′,N″,N″‐pentamethyl diethylenetriamine (PMDETA) complexes are used to initiate atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of methyl methacrylate, styrene, and methyl acrylate in the presence of a limited amount of air at temperatures in the range of 80–110 °C. Meanwhile, an effort is directed toward the elucidation of the role of phenol and derivatives in ATRP catalyzed by Cu(II)/PMDETA. The catalytic sequence involves the formation of Cu(I) by electron transfer from phenol to Cu(II); Cu(I) so formed can then react in two distinctly different ways: with organic halide to form a propagating radical or with oxygen to form copper salt in its higher oxidation state; and regeneration of Cu(I) by excess phenol. Such regeneration of Cu(I) would be expected to lead to polymerization as a result of the consumption of oxygen and phenol as well. The phenols with electron releasing groups tended to increase the conversion of the polymerization. In this respect, sodium phenoxide, a more effective additive was found, whereas p‐nitro phenol was the least effective. The obtained polymers displayed the common features of a controlled polymerization such as molecular weight control and low polydispersity index value (M_w/M_n < 1.5). © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 351–359, 2004     

High-Molecular-Weight Alternating Copolymers from Thermal Copolymerizations of N-Alkylcitraconimides with Styrene

Radical copolymerizations of eight N-alkylcitraconimides (1) and styrene (2) were carried out in the presence or absence of a radical initiator. Alternating copolymers with number-average molecular weights higher than 7 × 10⁵ were obtained from the thermal copolymerizations (monomer molar ratio = 1:1) in bulk at 60°C. The spontaneous copolymerization is considered to be by induced radicals produced via an intermediate Diels-Alder dimer and minary a contact-type charge transfer complex between N-alkylcitraconimide and styrene. Thermogravimetric analyses indicate the resulting copolymers have high thermal stabilities.     

Radical polymerization of vinyl monomer having diacylurea moiety

N-acryloyl-N′-benzoylurea ( 1 ) was prepared and its radical homopolymerization and copolymerization with styrene were carried out. 1 was synthesized yield by the reaction of benzoylisocyanate and acrylamide in tetrahydrofuran in 78%. Radical polymerization of 1 was carried out at 60 or 80°C in DMF (0.1-2.5M) for 5 h in a sealed tube using AIBN (3 mol %) or BPO (3 mol %) as initiators to obtain poly(N′-acryloyl-N′-benzoylurea) ( 2 ) as a methanol-insoluble part in good yield (75–82%) independent of concentration. Number-average molecular weights of 2 were 2700–91,900. Furthermore, copolymerization of 1 with styrene was carried out in various feed ratios to confirm the alternating character in the copolymerization (r₁r₂ = 0.21) and Q, e values of 1 were evaluated as 0.52, 1.16, respectively. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis and polymerization of 7,7-bis(alkoxycarbonyl)-1,4-benzoquinone methides

7,7-Bis(methoxycarbonyl)-, 7,7-bis(ethoxycarbonyl)-, and 7,7-bis(isopropoxycarbonyl)-1,4-benzoquinone methides ( 4a, 4b , and 4c ) were successfully prepared as pure, isolable yellow-orange needles. The values of the first reduction potential for 4a, 4b , and 4c were measured in dichloromethane containing tetrabutylammonium perchlorate by cyclic voltammetry to be −0.54, −0.55, and −0.55 V, respectively, indicating that the alkyl groups do not significantly affect their electron-accepting properties. An anionic initiator butyllithium induced the homopolymerizations of 4a–c at 0°C, but a cationic initiator boron trifluoride etherate did not of 4a–c at 0°C. Compounds 4a and 4b homopolymerized with a radical initiator 2,2′-azobis(isobutyronitrile) (AIBN), but 4c did not, probably due to a larger steric hindrance effect of the isopropyl group compared with methyl and ethyl groups. Homopolymerizable compound 4a copolymerized with styrene in benzene in the presence of AIBN in a random fashion to give the monomer reactivity ratios r₁ ( 4a ) = 2.40 ± 0.40 and r₂ (styrene) = 0.01 ± 0.02 at 60°C and the Q and e values of 4a were 21.2 and +1.13, respectively, indicating that 4a is a highly conjugative and electron-accepting monomer, while the nonhomopolymerizable compound 4c copolymerized with styrene in a perfectly alternating fashion in benzene in the presence of AIBN at 60°C. No copolymerizations of 4a or 4c with 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane took place in dichloromethane in the presence of AIBN at 60°C. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Relevance of a prereaction for the in situ NMP of styrene using the C‐Phenyl‐N‐tert‐butylnitrone/2,2′‐azobis(isobutyronitrile) pair

In this article, we compare two routes for carrying out in situ nitroxide‐mediated polymerization of styrene using the C‐phenyl‐N‐tert‐butylnitrone (PBN)/2,2′‐azobis(isobutyronitrile) (AIBN) pair to identify the best one for an optimal control. One route consists in adding PBN to the radical polymerization of styrene, while the other approach deals with a prereaction between the nitrone and the free radical initiator prior to the addition of the monomer and the polymerization. The combination of ESR and kinetics studies allowed demonstrating that when the polymerization of styrene is initiated by AIBN in the presence of enough PBN at 110 °C, fast decomposition of AIBN is responsible for the accumulation of dead polymer chains at the early stages of the polymerization, in combination with controlled polystyrene chains. On the other hand, PBN acts as a terminating agent at 70 °C with the formation of a polystyrene end‐capped by an alkoxyamine, which is not labile at this temperature but that can be reactivated and chain‐extended by increasing the temperature. Finally, the radical polymerization of styrene is better controlled when the nitrone/initiator pair is prereacted at 85 °C for 4 h in toluene before styrene is added and polymerized at 110 °C. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 1085–1097, 2009     

Polymerization of o‐quinodimethanes. IV. Radical polymerization of 1‐cyano‐o‐quinodimethane in the presence of TEMPO

The radical polymerization behavior of 1‐cyano‐o‐quinodimethane generated by thermal isomerization of 1‐cyanobenzocyclobutene in the presence of 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidine‐N‐oxide (TEMPO) and the block copolymerization of the obtained polymer with styrene are described. The radical polymerization of 1‐cyanobenzocyclobutene was carried out in a sealed tube at temperatures ranging from 100 to 150 °C for 24 h in the presence of di‐tert‐butyl peroxide (DTBP) as a radical initiator and two equivalents of TEMPO as a trapping agent of the propagation end radical to obtain hexane‐insoluble polymer above 130 °C. Polymerization at 150 °C with 5 mol % of DTBP in the presence of TEMPO resulted in the polymer having a number‐average molecular weight (M_n ) of 2900 in 63% yield. The structure of the obtained polymer was confirmed as the ring‐opened polymer having a TEMPO unit at the terminal end by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, and IR analyses. Then, block copolymerization of the obtained polymer with styrene was carried out at 140 °C for 72 h to give the corresponding block copolymer in 82% yield, in which the unimodal GPC curve was shifted to a higher molecular weight region. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 3434–3439, 2000     

Synthesis and properties of novel poly(N-oxyimide)s

Novel poly(N-oxyimide)s (PNOI) were synthesized by the room temperature polycondensation of N,N′-dihydroxypyromellitimide (I) with dichloro compounds in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) in the presence of triethylamine both as base as well as catalyst. The dichloro compounds used were 1,4-bis(chloromethyl)-2,5-dimethylbenzene (II), 1,5-bis(chloromethyl)-2,4-dimethylbenzene (III), 1,4-bis(chloromethyl)-2,5-dimethoxybenzene (IV) and 1,4-dichlorobut-2-yne (V). Polymer synthesis, characterization, and properties such as density, viscosity, solubility, crystallinity, and thermal stability were described. Two model compounds, viz. (i) MNOI-1 from N-hydroxyphthalimide and a dichloro compound (III), (ii) MNOI-2 from I and benzyl chloride were also synthesized to confirm the formation of polymers. The polymers thus obtained had high intrinsic viscosities in the range 1.09–1.18 dl/g. The thermal decomposition of the polymers started around 260°C with 20–25% decomposition and about 50% weight loss was observed at 400°C.     

Styrene/maleimide copolymer with stable second-order optical nonlinearity

Radical copolymerization of N-(azo dye) maleimide or N-(substituted phenyl) maleimide and styrene were carried out using 2,2′-azobis-isobutyronitrile as an initiator in THF at 60°C. These copolymers exhibit high solubility in most of the organic solvents and excellent thermal stability up to 280°C under nitrogen atmosphere. The copolymer films which were heated at 200–240°C under high corona field exhibit d₃₃ = 3–5 pm/V, in the Maker-fringe measurement. Experimental results also showed that the copolymer with azo dye as chromophore did not decay in second harmonic response even at 130°C. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Determination of the acid dissociation constants of N-carboxymethyl-N-(p-hydroxy phenyl carbamoylmethyl)-2,3-dihydroxy-5-carbomethoxy benzylamine and the stability constants of its metal complexes

The acid dissociation constants of N-carboxymethyl-N-(p-hydroxy phenyl carbamoyl-methyl)-2,3-dihydroxy-5-carbomethoxy benzylamine (CHDCB) and the stability constants of its 1:1 complexes with alkaline earth, Cd(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Fe(III), Th(IV) and U(VI) ions have been determined at 25.0 ± 0.1 °C and at an ionic strength of 0.1 (KNO₃) by pH titration method. The probable coordination sites have also been discussed.     

Studies on the Synthesis and Potentiometric Properties of Three Novel Tripodal Ligands and their Complexes

Three novel tripodal ligands, N,N′,N′′-tri-(3′-phenylpropionic acid-2′-yl-)-1,3,5-triaminomethylbenzene (Ll), N,N′,N′′-tri-(4′-methylvaleric acid-2′-y1-)-1,3,5-triaminomethylbenzene (L2) and N,N′,N′′-tri-(3′methylvaleric acid-2′-yl-)-1,3,5-triaminomethylbenzene (L3), have been synthesized and fully characterized. The stabilizing ability of complexes of the three ligands with transition metal ions Cu(II), Ni(II), Zn(II) and Co(II) and rare earth metal ions La(III), Nd(III), Sm(III), Eu(III) and Gd(III) has been investigated by the pontentiometric method in water and in aqueous KNO₃ (0.1 mol dm⁻³) at 25.0±0.1 °C, respectively. The results show that there is a great deal of difference between two series of complexes’ stabilities. An explanation of the difference has been given.     

Nitroxide‐mediated controlled radical polymerizations of styrene derivatives

Several (protected) amine and alcohol functionalized styrene monomers were synthesized via readily accessible synthetic routes. The controlled radical copolymerization of these functionalized styrene monomers with styrene was performed using two alkoxyamines, namely N‐(2‐methylpropyl)‐N‐(1‐diethylphosphono‐2,2‐dimethylpropyl)‐O‐(2‐carboxylprop‐2‐yl) hydroxylamine (MAMA‐SG1) and N‐tert‐butyl‐N‐(2‐methyl‐1‐phenylpropyl)‐O‐(1‐phenylethyl)hydroxylamine. The copolymers obtained showed low polydispersities, controlled molecular weights, and a random topology. The thermal properties of the polymers were determined with differential scanning calorimetry. All polymers were amorphous and showed glass transition temperatures between 40 and 111 °C. Deprotection of the copolymers afforded amine or alcohol pendant polystyrenes which were readily functionalized with isocyanates. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Initiation and termination mechanism in the cooligomerization of the styrene–methyl methacrylate–carbon tetrachloride system

The analysis of the endgroups of the oligomers produced in the styrene (A)–CCl₄(S) system (system I), the methyl methacrylate(B)–CCl₄ system (system II), and the styrene–methyl methacrylate–CCl₄ system (system III) was carried out in order to clarify the mechanism of the initiation, transfer, and termination. In system I, the number of Cl atoms per oligomer molecule N_Cl increases with the molar ratio of [S]/[A] when the molar ratio of [S]/[A] is below unity and is about four when the molar ratio of [S]/[A] is above unity, and the number of initiator fragments per oligomer molecule N_I decreases with the increase in the molar ratio of [S]/[A]. In system II, N_Cl is about 0.45 over a considerably wide range of the molar ratio of [S]/[B]. In system III, N_Cl increases and N_I decreases with the increase in the molar ratios of [S]/([A] + [B]) and [A]/[B]. From the data of N_Cl and N_I, the fraction I_CC14 of the initiation by the tri-chloromethyl radical in the overall initiation reactions and the fraction T_CC14 of the chain transfer reaction of the growing radical of styrene in all the reactions which produce the cooligomer in the system III were calculated. I_CCl3 and T_CC14 both increase with the molar ratios [S]/([A] + [B]) and [A]/[B].     

Organometallic polymers. XIV. Copolymerization of vinylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl and vinylferrocene with N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone

N-Vinyl-2-pyrrolidone(I) has been copolymerized with vinylferrocene(II) and vinylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl(III) in degassed benzene solutions with the use of azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as the initiator. The polymerizations proceed smoothly, and the relative reactivity ratios were determined as r₁ = 0.66, r₂ = 0.40 (for copolymerization of I with II, M₁ defined as II) and r₁ = 0.14 and r₂ = 0.09 (for copolymerization of I with III, M₁ defined as III). These copolymers were soluble in benzene, THF, chloroform, CCl₄, and DMF. Molecular weights were determined by viscosity and gel-permeation chromatography studies (universal calibration technique.) The copolymers exhibited values of M?_n between 5 × 10³ and 10 × 10³ and M?_w between 7 × 10³ and 17 × 10³ with M?_w/M?_n < 2. Upon heating to 260°C under N₂, copolymers of III underwent gas evolution and weight loss. The weight loss was enhanced at 300°C, and the polymers became in creasingly insoluble. Copolymers of vinylferrocene were oxidized to polyferricinium salts upon treatment with dichlorodicyanoquinone (DDQ) or o-chloranil (o-CA) in benzene. Each unit of quinone incorporated into the polysalts had been reduced to its radical anion. The ratio of ferrocene to ferricinium units in the polysalts was determined. The polysalts did not melt at 360°C and were readily soluble only in DMF.     

Grafting of poly(styrene‐co‐p‐chloromethyl styrene) with ethyl methacrylate via atom transfer radical polymerization catalyzed by CuCl/1,2‐dipiperidinoethane

Poly(styrene‐graft‐ethyl methacrylate) graft copolymer was prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) with poly(styrene‐co‐p‐chloromethyl styrene)s in various compositions as macroinitiator in the presence of CuCl/1,2‐dipiperidinoethane at 130 °C in N,N‐dimethylformamide. Both macroinitiators and graft copolymers were characterized by elemental analysis, IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR, and differential scanning calorimetry. 1,2‐Dipiperidinoethane was an effective ligand of CuCl for ATRP in the graft copolymerization. The controlled growth of the side chain provided the graft copolymers with polydispersities of 1.60–2.05 in the case of poly(styrene‐co‐p‐chloromethyl styrene) (62:38) macroinitiator. Thermal stabilities of poly(styrene‐graft‐ethyl methacrylate) graft copolymers were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis as compared with those of the macroinitiators. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 668–673, 2003