Chemistry of sulfonyl isocyanates and sulfonyl isothiocyanates. X. Possible routes to substituted imidazolidinethiones and hexahydropyrimidinethiones

4-Toluenesulfonyl isocyanate (I) reacted with 2-aminoethanol and 3-amino-l-propanol to give 2:1 isocyanate/amino alcohol addition products. 1-Amino-2-propanol and I gave 1:1 and 2:1 adducts while 2-amino-2-methyl-l-propanol afforded only a 1:1 adduct. 4-Toluenesulfonyl isothio-cyanate (III) gave 1:1 adducts with 2-aminoethanol, l-amino-2-propanol and 3-amino-l-propanol, the first two of which were cyclized by concentrated sulfuric acid to 1-(4-toluenesulfonyl)-imidazoline-2-thiones and the third to 1-(4-toluenesulfonyl)hexahydropyrimidine-2-thione. A 1:2 adduct was obtained from III and 2-amino-2-methyl-l-propanol. Amino acids reacted with I and with 4-chlorobenzenesulfonyl isocyanate (II) to give N-(arylsulfonyl)-N¹-(carboxylic acid)-ureas. N-(4-Toluenesulfonyl)-N¹-(acetic acid)-urea (XVI) was converted to the methyl ester (XIX) by concentrated sulfuric acid and methanol and to water-soluble unrecoverable products by sulfuric acid alone. Glycine and III gave N-(4-toluenesulfonyl)-N¹-(acetic acid)-thiourea (XX) which was converted to the methyl ester (XXII) by concentrated sulfuric acid/methanol and to the cyclic 1-(4-toluenesulfonyl)imidazolin-5-one-2-thione (XXI) by sulfuric acid alone.     

Synthesis and properties of aromatic secondary amine-blocked isocyanates

N-Methylaniline-, diphenylamine-, and N-phenylnaphthylamine-blocked toluene diisocyanates (TDI) were prepared and characterized by IR, NMR spectroscopy, and nitrogen content analyses. The structure–property relationship of these adducts was established by reacting with hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB). The cure rate of the adduct increases from the N-phenylnaphthylamine- to diphenylamine- and to N-methylaniline-blocked TDI adduct. Simultaneous TGA/DTA results also confirm this trend, and the thermal stability of the adduct decreases in the following order: N-phenylnaphthylamine–TDI > diphenylamine–TDI > N-methylaniline–TDI. The gas chromatogram of the amine-blocked isocyanate confirms that the thermolysis products are the blocking agent and isocyanate. The solubilities of the adducts were carried out in polyether, polyester, and hydrocarbon polyols, and it was found that the N-methylaniline–TDI adduct shows higher solubility than the rest and also found that the polyester polyol shows higher solvating power against the adducts than the polyether and hydrocarbon polyols. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 1815–1821, 1999     

Preparation and characterization of aromatic polyamides based on a bis(ether‐carboxylic acid) or a dietheramine extended from 1,1‐bis(4‐hydroxyphenyl)‐1‐phenylethane

Thermoplastic and organic‐soluble aromatic polyamides containing both bulky triphenylethane units and flexible ether linkages were prepared directly from 1,1‐bis[4‐(4‐carboxyphenoxy)phenyl]‐1‐phenylethane ( III ) with various aromatic diamines or from 1,1‐bis[4‐(4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl]‐1‐phenylethane ( V ) with various aromatic dicarboxylic diacids via triphenyl phosphite and pyridine. These polyamides had inherent viscosities ranging from 0.71 to 1.77 dL/g. All the polymers easily were dissolved in aprotic polar solvents such as N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone and N,N‐dimethylacetamide, and some even could be dissolved in less polar solvents such as tetrahydrofuran. The flexible and tough films cast from the polymer solutions possessed tensile strengths of 89 to 104 MPa. The polyamides were thermally stable up to 460°C in air or nitrogen. Glass‐transition temperatures of these polyamides were observed in a range of 179 to 268°C via differential scanning calorimetry or thermomechanical analysis. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 247–260, 2000     

Syntheses and properties of polyamides from ether diacid having the spirobichroman unit

A novel hexamethylspirobichroman (HMSBC) unit-containing dicarboxylic acid, 6,6′-bis(4-carboxyphenoxy)-4,4,4′,4′,7,7′-hexamethyl-2,2′-spirobichroman ( 3 ), was derived from nucleophilic substitution of p-fluorobenzonitrile with the phenolate ion of 6,6′-dihydroxy-4,4,4′,4′,7,7′-hexamethyl-2,2′-spirobichroman ( 1 ), followed by alkaline hydrolysis of the intermediate bis(ether nitrile). Using TPP and pyridine as condensing agents, a series of polyamides with inherent viscosities in the range of 0.82–1.14 dL/g were prepared by the direct polycondensation of dicarboxylic acid 3 with various aromatic diamines. All the obtained polymers were noncrystalline and soluble in various organic solvents such as N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP). Except for the polymer derived from benzidine, the other polyamides could be solution cast into transparent and tough films, and their tensile strengths, elongations at break, and tensile moduli were in the range of 56–76 MPa, 4–59%, and 1.6–2.0 GPa, respectively. These polyamides had glass transition temperatures in the range of 183–200°C with 10% weight loss above 420°C. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 1479–1486, 1997     

Synthesis and characterization of novel aromatic polyamides with polyalicyclic cardo groups

5,5-Bis[4-(4-carboxyphenoxy)phenyl]hexahydro-4,7-methanoindan ( 3a ) and 5,5-bis[4-(4-aminophenoxy)phenyl]hexahydro-4,7-methanoindan ( 3b ) were prepared in two main steps starting from the aromatic nucleophilic halogen-displacement of p-fluorobenzonitrile and p-chloronitrobenzene, respectively, with 5,5-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)hexahydro-4,7-methanoindan in the presence of potassium carbonate in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). Using triphenyl phosphite and pyridine as condensing agents, two series of polyamides having polyalicyclic cardo units were directly polycondensated from dicarboxylic acid 3a with various aromatic diamines, or from diamine 3b with various aromatic dicarboxylic acids in the N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) solution containing dissolved calcium chloride. High molecular weight polyamides with inherent viscosities between 0.73 and 1.44 dL/g were obtained. All polymers were readily soluble in polar aprotic solvents such as NMP and N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) and afforded transparent, flexible, and tough films by solution casting. The glass-transition temperatures (T_g) of these aromatic polyamides were in the range of 219–253°C by DSC, and the 10% weight loss temperatures in nitrogen and air were above 467 and 465°C, respectively. A comparative study of some polyamides with an isomeric repeat unit is also presented. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 4510–4520, 1999     

Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of imidazo- and pyrimido[2,1-f]-theophyllines

Heating of 8-aminotheophylline with methyl (Z)-2-benzoylamino-3-(dimethylamino)propenoate in acetic acid afforded in a one-pot synthesis a new pyrimido[2,1-f]theophylline derivative. Methylation of this by using CH₃I/NaH furnished in good yield the double methylated derivative. Furthermore, glycosidation of the former with 1-α-bromo-2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-d-glucose gave the β-glucoside derivative. Reaction of 8-aminotheophylline with [bis(methylthio)methylene]malonitrile, ethyl[bis(methylthio)methylene]cyanoacetate, 1,3-diphenylprop-2-en-1-one, 2-cyano-1,3-diphenylprop-2-en-1-one, 1-(4-nitrophenyl)-3-(dimethylamino)prop-2-ennitrile, 1-phenyl-3-(dimethylamino)prop-2-en-1-one, 2-substituted 3-aryl or heteroarylprop-2-ennitrile and ethyl(arylmethylene)cyanoacetate in N,N-dimethylformamide in the presence of anhydrous potassium carbonate afforded also the corresponding new derivatives of pyrimido-[2,1-f]theophylline. However, 8-aminotheophylline reacted in similar manner with 3-chloropentan-2,4-dione and 2-bromo-1-phenylethanone to give the corresponding imidazo[2,1-f]theophyllines. Furthermore, azo-coupling of one of these with 4-methylphenyldiazonium chloride was performed. The antimicrobial activity of the products has been evaluated. The structures of all new compounds obtained were established by their spectral analyses. Correspondence: Mosselhi A. N. Mosselhi, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.     

Syntheses and properties of novel fluorinated polyamides based on a bis(ether‐carboxylic acid) or a bis(ether amine) extended from bis(4‐hydroxyphenyl)phenyl‐2,2,2‐trifluoroethane

Two series of novel fluorinated aromatic polyamides were prepared from 1,1‐bis[4‐(4‐carboxyphenoxy)phenyl]‐1‐phenyl‐2,2,2‐trifluoroethane with various aromatic diamines or from 1,1‐bis[4‐(4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl]‐1‐phenyl‐2,2,2‐trifluoroethane with various aromatic dicarboxylic acids with the phosphorylation polyamidation technique. These polyamides had inherent viscosities ranging from 0.51 to 1.54 dL/g that corresponded to weight‐average and number‐average molecular weights (by gel permeation chromatography) of 36,200–80,000 and 17,200–64,300, respectively. All polymers were highly soluble in aprotic polar solvents, such as N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone and N,N‐dimethylacetamide, and some could even be dissolved in less‐polar solvents like tetrahydrofuran. The flexible and tough films cast from the polymer solutions possessed tensile strengths of 76–94 MPa and initial moduli of 1.70–2.22 GPa. Glass‐transition temperatures (T_g's) and softening temperatures of these polyamides were observed in the range of 185–268 °C by differential scanning calorimetry or thermomechanical analysis. Decomposition temperatures (T_d's) for 10% weight loss all occurred above 500 °C in both nitrogen and air atmospheres. Almost all the fluorinated polyamides displayed relatively higher T_g and T_d values than the corresponding nonfluorinated analogues. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 420–431, 2003     

Synthesis and photochemical properties of poly(ester–amide)s containing norbornadiene (NBD) residues

N,N′‐Bis[(3‐carboxynorbornadien‐2‐yl)carbonyl]‐N,N′‐diphenylethylenediamine (BNPE) was synthesized in 70% yield by the reaction of 2,5‐norbornadiene‐2,3‐dicarboxylic acid anhydride with N,N′‐diphenylethylenediamine. Other dicarboxylic acid derivatives containing norbornadiene (NBD) residues having N,N′‐disubstituted amide groups were also prepared by the reaction of 2,5‐NBD‐2,3‐dicarboxylic acid anhydride with certain secondary diamines. When the polyaddition of BNPE with bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BPGE) was carried out using tetrabutylammonium bromide as a catalyst in N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone at 100°C for 12 h, a polymer with number average molecular weight of 69,800 was obtained in 98% yield. Polyadditions of other NBD dicarboxylic acid derivatives containing N,N′‐disubstituted amide groups with BPGE were also performed under the same conditions. The reaction proceeded very smoothly to give the corresponding NBD poly(ester–amide)s in good yields. Photochemical reactions of the obtained polymers with N,N′‐disubstituted amide groups on the NBD residue were examined, and it was found that these polymers were effectively sensitized by adding appropriate photosensitizers such as 4‐(N,N‐dimethylamino)benzophenone and 4,4′‐bis(N,N‐diethylamino)benzophenone in the film state. The stored energies in the quadricyclane groups of the polymers were also evaluated to be about 94 kJ/mol by DSC measurement of the irradiated polymer films. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 917–926, 1999     

Enhanced redox stability and electrochromic properties of aromatic polyamides based on N,N‐bis(4‐carboxyphenyl)‐N′,N′‐bis(4‐tert‐butylphenyl)‐1,4‐phenylenediamine

A new bis(triphenylamine)‐type dicarboxylic acid monomer, N,N‐bis(4‐carboxyphenyl)‐N′,N′‐bis(4‐tert‐butylphenyl)‐1,4‐phenylenediamine, was prepared by a well‐established procedure and led to a new family of redox‐active aromatic polyamides with di‐tert‐butyl‐substituted N,N,N′,N′‐tetraphenylphenylenediamine (TPPA) segments. The resulting polyamides were amorphous with good solubility in many organic solvents, and most of them could be solution cast into flexible polymer films. The polyamides exhibited high thermal stability with glass‐transition temperatures in the range of 247–293 °C and 10% weight‐loss temperatures in excess of 500 °C. They showed well‐defined and reversible redox couples during oxidative scanning, with a strong color change from a colorless or pale yellowish neutral form to green and blue oxidized forms. They had enhanced redox stability and electrochromic performance when compared with the corresponding analogs without tert‐butyl substituents on the TPPA unit. The polyamide with TPPA units in both the diacid and diamine components shows multicolored electrochromic behavior. A polyamide containing both the cathodic coloring anthraquinone chromophore and the anodic coloring TPPA chromophore has the ability to show red, green, and blue states, toward single‐component RGB electrochromics. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Ring-Transformation von Imidazolidin–2,4-dionen ( = Hydantoinen) zu 4H-Imidazolen bei der Umsetzung mit 3-(Dimethylamino)-2,2-dimethyl-2H -azirin

Ring Transformation of Imidazolidine-2,4-diones ( = Hydantoins) to 4H-Imidazoles in the Reaction with 3-(Dimethylamino)-2,2-dimethyl-2H-azirines At ca. 70°, 3-(dimethylamino)-2,2-dimethyl-2H -azirine ( 1 ) and 5,5-disubstituted hydantoins 4 in MeCN or i-PrOH give 2-(1-aminoalkyl)-5-(dimethylamino)-4,4-dimethyl-4H -imidazoles 5 in good yield (Scheme 2). These products are decarboxylated 1:1 adducts of 1 and 4 . A reaction mechanism is suggested in analogy to the previously reported reactions of 1 and NH-acidic heterocycles containing the CO? NH? CO? NH moiety (Scheme 5). The formation of ureas 6 and 7 can be rationalized by trapping the intermediate isocyanate F by an amine. No reaction is observed between 1 and 1,5,5- or 3,5,5-trisubstituted hydantoins in refluxing MeCN or i-PrOH, but an N-isopropylation of 1,5,5-trimethylhydantoin ( 8b ) occurs in the presence of morpholine (Scheme 3). The reaction of the bis(azirine)dibromozink complex 11 and hydantoines 4 in refluxing MeCN yields zink complexes 12 of the corresponding 2-(1-aminoalkyl)-4H -imidazoles 5 (Scheme 4).     

Synthesis and characterization of new soluble polyamides from 1,1‐bis[4‐(4‐carboxyphenoxy)phenyl]‐4‐tert‐butylcyclohexane and various diamines

A new dicarboxylic acid monomer, 1,1‐bis[4‐(4‐carboxyphenoxy)phenyl]‐4‐tert‐butylcyclohexane, bearing a pendent tert‐butylcyclohexylidene group was prepared in three steps from 4‐tert‐butylcyclohexanone. The monomer was reacted with various diamines to produce a series of new polyamides with triphenyl phosphite and pyridine as condensing agents. These polyamides were produced with inherent viscosities of 0.74 to 1.02 dL g⁻¹. All the polymers were characterized by X‐ray diffraction that revealed this amorphous nature. These polymers exhibited excellent solubility in a variety of solvents. Almost all the polymers could be dissolved in N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidinone, N,N‐dimethylacetamide (DMAc), N,N‐dimethylformamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, pyridine, and even in tetrahydrofuran and cyclohexanone. These polymers showed glass‐transition temperatures between 223 and 256 °C and decomposition temperatures at 10% weight loss ranging from 468 to 491 °C and 469 to 498 °C in nitrogen and air atmospheres, respectively. Transparent, tough, and flexible films of these polymers were cast from the DMAc solutions. These polymer films had tensile strengths ranging from 76 to 99 MPa, elongations at break from 7 to 19%, and initial moduli from 2.1 to 2.7 GPa. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 797–803, 2000     

Synthesis and properties of aromatic polyamides containing the cyclohexane structure

1,1-Bis[4-(4-carboxyphenoxy)phenyl]cyclohexane (III) and 1,1-bis[4-(4-aminophenoxy)phenyl]cyclohexane (V) were prepared in two main steps starting from the aromatic nucleophilic substitution of p-fluorobenzonitrile and p-chloronitrobenzene, respectively, with 1,1-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)cyclohexane in the presence of potassium carbonate in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). Using triphenyl phosphite and pyridine as condensing agents, two series of polyamides with cyclohexylidene cardo groups were directly polycondensated from dicarboxylic acid III with various aromatic diamines or from diamine V with various aromatic dicarboxylic acids in an N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) solution containing dissolved calcium chloride. The polyamides exhibited inherent viscosities in the range of 0.45 to 1.78 dL/g. Almost all of the polymers were readily soluble in polar aprotic solvents such as NMP and N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) and could afford transparent, flexible, and tough films by solution casting. The glass transition temperatures (T_g) of these aromatic polyamides were in the range of 180–243°C by DSC, and the 10% weight loss temperatures in nitrogen and air were all above 450°C. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 3575–3583, 1999     

Optically high transparency and light color of organosoluble polyamides containing trifluoromethyl and kink diphenylmethylene linkage

New polyamides were prepared directly from a diamine, bis[4‐(2‐trifluoromethyl 4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl] diphenylmethane, containing an electron‐withdrawing trifluoromethyl group and a kink diphenylmethylene linkage with various aromatic dicarboxylic acids having inherent viscosities ranging from 0.66 to 0.83 dL g^?1. All the polyamides showed outstanding solubility and could be easily dissolved in amide‐type polar aprotic solvents (e.g., N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidinone, N,N‐dimethylacetamide, and N,N‐dimethylformamide) and even dissolved in less polar solvents (e.g., pyridine, cyclohexanone, and tetrahydrofuran). The dielectric constants of the polyamide films were 3.37–3.87 (100 KHz) and decreased with an increase in the frequency, which ranged from 1 Hz to 100 KHz. A low coefficient of thermal expansion for the polyamides was observed in the range of 54–78 ppm/°C (by thermomechanical analysis). These polyamides showed excellent thermal stability, and the 10% weight loss temperatures were in the range of 484–507 °C in an atmosphere of nitrogen. The polymers had an initial modulus of 1.8–2.2 GPa. The polyamides with kink and electron‐withdrawing trifluoromethyl units afforded light‐color polymer films with high transmittance in the visible region (400–700 nm), and their cutoff wavelength was lower than 362 nm. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 4559–4569, 2005     

Synthesis and characterization of new organosoluble polyamides derived from bis[4‐(4‐carboxyphenoxy) phenyl]diphenylmethane

A new dicarboxylic acid containing a diphenylmethylene linkage, bis[4‐(4‐carboxyphenoxy)phenyl]diphenylmethane (BCAPD), was prepared from bis(4‐hydroxphenyl)diphenylmethane and p‐fluorobenzonitrile via an aromatic nucleophilic substitution reaction followed by hydrolysis. A series of novel polyamides were prepared by the direct polycondensation of BCAPD and various aromatic diamines. The polymers were produced with moderate to high inherent viscosities of 0.80–0.85 dL g^?1. Nearly all the polymers were readily soluble in polar solvents such as N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidinone, N,N‐dimethylacetamide, N,N‐dimethylformamide, and dimethyl sulfoxide, in less polar solvents such as pyridine and cyclohexanone, and in tetrahydrofuran. All the polymers were amorphous, and the polyamide films had a tensile strength and a tensile modulus greater than 80 MPa and 2.0 GPa, respectively. These polyamides had glass‐transition temperatures between 249 and 274 °C, and their temperatures at a 10% weight loss were 477–538 and 483–540 °C in nitrogen and air atmospheres, respectively. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 1156–1161, 2001     

Synthesis,characterization, and hydrolysis of PVAc-PS-PVAc via charge transfer polymerization

An ABA triblock copolymer of polyvinyl acetate-b-polystyrene-b-polyvinyl acetate (PVAc-PS-PVAc) was successfully synthesized with a binary system composed of polystyrene with N,N-dimethylaniline end groups (PS_da) and benzophenone to initiate the polymerization of vinyl acetate under UV irradiation. The PS_da was obtained by capping the living polystyrene macrodianion with p-(dimethylamino) benzaldehyde in excess. The PVA-PS-PVA could then be obtained by hydrolysis of PVAc-PS-PVAc in the sodium ethoxide benzene solution. The intermediates and desirable copolymers were characterized by GPC, IR, and ¹H-NMR in detail. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 2595–2600, 1999     

Novel aromatic polyamides and polyimides functionalized with 4‐tert‐butyltriphenylamine groups

A new triphenylamine‐containing diamine monomer, 4,4′‐diamino‐4″‐tert‐butyltriphenylamine, was successfully synthesized by the cesium fluoride‐mediated N,N‐diarylation of 4‐tert‐butylaniline with 4‐fluoronitrobenzene, followed by the reduction of the nitro group. The obtained diamine monomer was reacted with various aromatic dicarboxylic acids and tetracarboxylic dianhydrides to produce two series of novel triphenylamine‐based polyamides and polyimides with pendent tert‐butyl substituents. Most of the polymers were readily soluble in polar organic solvents, such as N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone and N,N‐dimethylacetamide (DMAc), and could be solution cast into tough and flexible polymer films. These polymers showed high glass transition temperatures between 282 and 320 °C, and they were fairly stable up to a temperature above 450 °C (for polyamides) or 500 °C (for polyimides). These polymers exhibited UV absorption maxima around 308 to 361 nm. The photoluminescence spectra of the polyamides in DMAc exhibited a peak emission wavelength in the blue at 421–433 nm. Cyclic voltammograms of polyamides and polyimides showed an oxidation wave at 1.0–1.1 V versus Ag/AgCl in an acetonitrile solution. All the polyamides and polyimides exhibited excellent reversibility of electrochromic characteristics by continuous several cyclic scans between 0.0 and 1.1–1.3 V, with a color change from the original pale yellowish neutral form to the green or blue oxidized forms. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 4579–4592, 2006     

One-pot synthesis of dendritic polyamide

Dendritic polyamides with polydispersity of 1.1–1.4 have been successfully prepared from trimesic acid, 5-aminoisophthalic acid, and 4-aminophenylpropionic acid as a core molecule, a dendron, and a spacer unit, respectively, with a one-pot procedure. This procedure involves successive activation of end carboxyl groups with the condensing agent diphenyl (2,3-dihydro-2-thioxo-3-benzoxazolyl)phosphonate (DBOP), followed by condensation of active amide with 5-aminoisopthalic acid or 4-aminophenylpropionic acid and, finally, capping of the end carboxyl groups with p-anisidine. The structure of dendritic polyamides was investigated by ¹H-NMR spectroscopy, and it was found that the polymers obtained contained approximately 10% defects. Furthermore, the model reaction was studied to demonstrate the feasibility of dendritic polyamides. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 3638–3645, 1999     

Fluorescence probes for investigation of epoxy systems and monitoring of crosslinking processes

The fluorescence behavior of 1,1′‐dimethyl‐2,2′‐carbocyanine and p‐N,N‐dimethylamino‐styryl‐2‐ethylpyridinium was investigated in several epoxy systems. Time‐correlated single photon counting was used for all fluorescence measurements to obtain the rate constant for viscosity or mobility‐dependent nonradiative processes of the probe. Microviscosity effects were discussed on the basis of a model describing the microfriction between matrix and probe molecules. The probes investigated are able to detect the glass‐transition temperature of the materials investigated. These compounds also show a dependence on the mobility in the glassy state. The probes applied in this work also can be used to monitor the crosslinking process of several epoxy systems containing 4,4′‐diaminodiphenylmethane (DDM) as curing agent. The epoxides used for the crosslinking process were 2,2′‐[(1‐methylethylidene)bis(4,1‐phenyleneoxymethylene)bis‐oxiranemethaneamine] [common name, diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA)], N‐oxiranylmethyl‐N‐phenyl‐oxiranylmethane [common name, diglycidyl aniline (DGA)], and epoxy novolacs of different functionality. The networks obtained have a different morphology, which was studied by the fluorescence probe technology. The structure of the epoxy compound has an important influence on the probe behavior because both network density and size of the free volume influence the photochemical behavior of the probe. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 1367–1386, 1999     

Amphiphilic conetworks. II. Novel two‐step synthesis of poly[2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate]–polyisobutylene,poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide)–polyisobutylene,and poly(N,N‐dimethylacrylamide)–polyisobutylene hydrogels

Amphiphilic polymer conetworks consisting of hydrophilic poly[2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate], poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide), or poly(N,N‐dimethylacrylamide) and hydrophobic polyisobutylene chains were synthesized with a novel two‐step procedure. In the first step, a methacrylate‐multifunctional polyisobutylene crosslinker was prepared by the cationic copolymerization of isobutylene with 3‐isopropenyl‐α,α‐dimethylbenzyl isocyanate. In the second step, the methacrylate‐multifunctional polyisobutylene crosslinker, with a number‐average molecular weight of 8200 and an average functionality of approximately 4 per chain, was copolymerized radically with 2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate, N‐isopropylacrylamide, or N,N‐dimethylacrylamide into transparent amphiphilic conetworks containing 42–47 mol % hydrophilic monomer. The synthesized conetworks were characterized with solid‐state ¹³C NMR spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The amphiphilic nature of the conetworks was proved by swelling in both water and n‐heptane. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 6378–6384, 2006     

Proton transfer‐controlled anionic polymerization of methyl‐substituted β‐lactams with potassium t‐butoxide and subsequent coupling reaction with saccharides

The potassium t‐butoxide‐catalyzed ring‐opening polymerization of 3,3‐dimethyl‐ and 4,4‐dimethyl‐2‐azetidinone proceeds quantitatively in a mixture of N,N‐dimethylacetamide and 5–10 wt % of lithium chloride at 25°C to give the corresponding monodisperse polyamides. The addition of methyl α‐D ‐glucoside into the living polyamide system gives a novel polyamide linked with the glucose moiety at one chain end. A new graft copolymer composed of a water soluble polysaccharide (dextran) backbone and many monodisperse polyamide branches was also prepared by a similar coupling method. The difference in acidity among the lactam monomers, the corresponding polyamides, and the alcohols was essential for the attainment of such a proton transfer‐controlled system composed of the living polymerization and the subsequent coupling reaction. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 909–915, 1999