Application of S‐alkylsulfonium salts of aromatic sulfides as new thermal latent cationic initiators

The cationic initiation activity of derivatives of S‐methylsulfonium salts of dibenzothiophene ( 3a ), diphenyl sulfide ( 4a ), thioanisole ( 4d ), and tetrahydrothiophene ( 5 ) was evaluated in the polymerization of glycidyl phenyl ether ( 1 ). These initiators were soluble in 1 and capable of initiating the cationic polymerization of 1 on heating, with the exception of methyltetrahydrothiophenium tetrafluoroborate ( 5 ; in the range of room temperature to 160 °C). Among them, methyldiphenylsulfonium tetrafluoroborate ( 4a ) showed a moderate thermal latency that brought about the polymerization of 1 efficiently at 160 °C but not below 80 °C. S‐Alkylsulfonium salts of aromatic sulfides such as phenoxathiin ( 6a ) and thianthrene ( 6b ) also were evaluated for their activity in the cationic polymerization of 1 , from which the thermal latent behavior of these salts also was confirmed (i.e., there was no reaction at 60 °C for 3 h, but there was a high enough conversion at 140 °C). Furthermore, the catalytic activity of S‐alkylsulfonium derivatives was controllable by both the property of the substituents on the aromatic rings and the character of the alkyl groups on the sulfur atom. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 18–27, 2000     

Cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether coinitiated with heteropolyacid or its salts in aqueous medium

The suspension cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE) in aqueous medium could be achieved by using H₃PW₁₂O₄₀, AlPW₁₂O₄₀, FePW₁₂O₄₀, K₃PW₁₂O₄₀, or Na₃PW₁₂O₄₀ as efficient water‐tolerant coinitiators in the presence of HCl. The addition reaction of IBVE with H₂O occurred to form IBVE–H₂O adduct and then subsequent decomposition immediately took place or turned to acetaldehyde diisobutyl acetal (A) in the presence of AlPW₁₂O₄₀, and ( A ) decomposed rapidly to form 2‐isobutanol ( B ) and acetaldehyde ( C ). Cationic polymerization of IBVE in aqueous medium was promoted greatly with increasing HCl concentration and proceeded extremely rapidly to get high polymer yield even at low concentration of AlPW₁₂O₄₀ of 0.3 mM. A sufficient amount of HCl was needed to decrease the hydrolysis of initiator IBVE–HCl and to accelerate the polymerization in aqueous medium simultaneously. The yield and molecular weight of poly(IBVE) increased with increasing concentrations of HCl and AlPW₁₂O₄₀ or with decreasing temperature. The isotactic‐rich poly(IBVE)s with m diad of around 60%, having M_n of 1200–4500 g mol^?1 and monomodal molecular weight distribution could be obtained via cationic polymerization of IBVE in aqueous medium. This is the first example of cationic polymerization of IBVE in aqueous medium coinitiated by heteropolyacid and its salts. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether initiated with transition‐metal ate complexes

The cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether was examined with transition‐metal ate complexes with trityl cation as initiators. The initiators were generated by the reaction of triphenylmethyl chloride [trityl chloride (TrCl)] with ate complexes of Nb, Mo, and W with lithium cation, which were obtained in situ by the reaction of the transition‐metal halides with anionic reagents (organolithium or lithium amide). When the polymerization was initiated with a mixture of TrCl and Li⁺[NbH₅(NnBuPh)]^?, the resulting poly(isobutyl vinyl ether)s had narrow molecular weight distributions (weight‐average molecular weight/number‐average molecular weight = 1.13–1.20). Although the polymerization was supposed to be initiated by the electrophilic attack of the trityl cation, matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry analysis of the resulting poly(isobutyl vinyl ether)s revealed the presence of H at the α‐chain end. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 2636–2641, 2006     

Oxoaminium salts as initiators for cationic polymerization of vinyl monomers

Oxoaminium salt ( 1 ), derived from 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO, 2 ) by one-electron oxidation, could be an initiator for cationic polymerization of vinyl monomers such as isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE), 2,3-dihydrofuran, p-methoxystyrene, N-vinyl pyrrolidone, etc., to give the corresponding polymers, when 1 had a low nucleophilic counter anion. Formation of the adducts of 1 and IBVE as well as ¹H-NMR and IR data suggested the formation of polymers containing N? O? C structure as the polymer head group. In the polymerization of IBVE, the effects of solvent and concentration of 1 were little observed, however the polymerization rate was dependent on temperature. Furthermore, the thermal reaction of the polymers obtained, which were regarded as prepolymers for block copolymerization and polymeric initiators for radical polymerization, was studied. For example, poly(2-benzylidene-1,3-dioxane) obtained by the polymerization of 2-benzylidene-1,3-dioxane with oxoaminium hexafluoroantimonate ( 1, X = SbF₆) was employed as an initiator for radical polymerization of MMA to give its block copolymer with PMMA. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Living carbocationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether and the synthesis of poly[isobutylene-b-(isobutyl vinyl ether)]

The MeCH(O-i-Bu)Cl/TiCl₄/MeCONMe₂ initiating system was found to induce the rapid living carbocationic polymerization (LC^⊕Pzn) of isobutyl vinyl ether (IBuVE) at ?100°C. Degradation by dealcoholation which usually accompanies the polymerization of alkyl vinyl ethers by strong Lewis acids is “frozen out” at this low temperature and poly(isobutyl vinyl ether)s (PIBuVEs) with theoretical molecular weights up to ca. 40,000 g/mol (calculated from the initiator/monomer input) and narrow molecular weight distributions (M?_w/M?_n ≤ 1.2) are readily obtained. According to ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy, PIBuVEs prepared by living polymerization at ?100°C are not stereoregular. The MeCH(O-i-Bu)Cl/TiCl₄ combination induces the rapid LC^⊕Pzn of IBuVE even in the absence of N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMA). The addition of the common ion salt, n-Bu₄NCl to the latter system retards the polymerization and meaningful kinetic information can be obtained. The kinetic findings have been explained in terms of TiCl₄. IBuVE and TiCl₄ · IBuVE and TiCl₄ · PIBuVE complexes. The HCl (formal initiator)/TiCl₄/DMA combination is the first initiating system that can be regarded to induce the LC^⊕Pzn of both isobutylene (IB) and IBuVE. Polyisobutylene (PIB)–PIBuVE diblocks were prepared by sequential monomer addition in “one pot” by the 2-chloro-2,4,4-trimethylpentane (TMP-Cl)/TiCl₄/DMA initiating system. Crossover efficiencies are, however, below 35% because the PIB^⊕ + IBuVE → PIB-b-PIBuVE^⊕ crossover is slow. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Rapid living cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers by a single‐molecular initiating system

Initiated by an organic molecule trifluoromethanesulfonimide (HNTf₂) without any Lewis acid or Lewis base stabilizer, cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE) takes place rapidly and the polymerization is proved to be in a controlled/living manner. The conversion of IBVE could easily achieve 99% in seconds. The product poly(isobutyl vinyl ether) is narrowly distributed and its molecular weight increases linearly with time and fits well with the corresponding theoretical value. This single‐molecular initiating system also works well in the living cationic polymerization of ethyl vinyl ether. HNTf₂ is considered playing multiple roles which include initiator, activator, and stabilizer in the polymerization. It is quite different from the hydrogen halide‐catalyzed polymerizations of vinyl ethers. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 1373‐1377     

Living cationic polymerization of 2‐adamantyl vinyl ether

Living cationic polymerization of 2‐adamantyl vinyl ether (2‐vinyloxytricyclo[3.3.1.1]^3,7decane; 2‐AdVE) was achieved with the CH₃CH(OiBu)OCOCH₃/ethylaluminum sesquichloride/ethyl acetate [CH₃CH(OiBu)OCOCH₃/Et_1.5AlCl_1.5/CH₃COOEt] initiating system in toluene at 0 °C. The number‐average molecular weights (M_n's) of the obtained poly(2‐AdVE)s increased in direct proportion to monomer conversion and produced the polymers with narrow molecular weight distributions (MWDs) (M_w/M_n = ～1.1). When a second monomer feed was added to the almost polymerized reaction mixture, the added monomer was completely consumed and the M_n's of the polymers showed a direct increase against conversion of the added monomer. Block and statistical copolymerization of 2‐AdVE with n‐butyl vinyl ether (CH₂?CH? O? CH₂ CH₂CH₂CH₃; NBVE) were possible via living process based on the same initiating system to give the corresponding copolymers with narrow MWDs. Grass transition temperature (T_g) and thermal decomposition temperature (T_d) of the poly(2‐AdVE) (e.g., M_n = 22,000, M_w/M_n = 1.17) were 178 and 323 °C, respectively. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 1629–1637, 2008     

Synthesis of phosphate‐pendant polymers and their application to thermally latent polymeric initiators

A novel phosphate monomer, O‐p‐(methacryloyloxymethyl)benzyl O,O‐diethyl phosphate (MDP) was synthesized by the reaction of diethyl phosphorochloridate with 1,4‐benzenedimethanol, followed by the reaction with methacryloyl chloride in the presence of triethylamine. The radical polymerization of MDP and copolymerization with methyl methacrylate were carried out in the presence of 2,2′‐azobisisobutyronitrile (3 mol %) in dimethylacetamide at 60 °C for 20 h to afford phosphate‐pendant polymers. The polymerization of glycidyl phenyl ether (GPE) was carried out with the phosphate‐pendant polymer as an initiator in the presence of ZnCl₂. The polymerization did not proceed below 90 °C but rapidly proceeded above 90 °C to afford polyGPE. The phosphate‐pendant polymer served as a good thermally latent polymeric initiator. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 39: 3365–3370, 2001     

Matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry analysis of living cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers. I. Optimization of measurement conditions for poly(isobutyl vinyl ether)

Matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF‐MS) was utilized for the analysis of polymers obtained by the living cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE) with the HCl‐VE adduct/SnCl₄/n‐Bu₄NCl initiating system in CH₂Cl₂ at −78 °C. Under optimized analysis conditions, well‐resolved spectra were obtained for samples with number‐average molecular weights of ≤10⁴ with the use of 1,8‐dihydroxy‐9(10H)‐anthracenone (dithranol) as a matrix and sodium trifluoroacetate as an added salt. The MS spectra showed only one series of peaks separated exactly by the mass of the IBVE. The observed mass of each peak was in good agreement with the theoretical one, which possesses one initiator fragment at the α end and one methoxy group originated from quenching with methanol at the ω end. Thus, detailed end group analysis is possible for poly(VE). © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 4023–4031, 2000     

Living cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether by the carboxyl group of the carbon black/zinc chloride initiating system

The effect of zinc chloride (ZnCl₂) on the cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE) initiated by carboxyl groups on a carbon black surface was investigated. Although the polymerization of IBVE was initiated by carboxyl groups on the surface, the rate of polymerization was small and the molecular weight distribution (MWD) of poly IBVE was very broad. The rate of the polymerization was found to be drastically increased, and 100% monomer conversion was achieved in a short time by the addition of ZnCl₂. The number-average molecular weights (M_n) of the polyIBVE were directly proportional to monomer conversion in the polymerization initiated by the carbon black/ZnCl₂ system. By addition of the monomer at the end of the first-stage polymerization, the added monomer was smoothly polymerized at the same rate as in the first stage. The M_n of the polymer was in excellent agreement with the calculated value, assuming the polyIBVE chain forms per unit carboxyl group on the surface and MWD was narrow (M_w/M_n = 1.2 ～ 1.3). Based on the results, it is concluded that carbon black/ZnCl₂ system has an ability to initiate the living cationic polymerization of IBVE. Furthermore, it was found that polyIBVE was grafted onto the carbon black surface after the quenching of the living polymer with methanol. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Alkylamines‐intercalated α‐zirconium phosphate as latent thermal anionic initiators

The reaction of glycidyl phenyl ether (GPE) with 1‐aminoalkanes‐intercalated α‐zirconium phosphate (α‐ZrP·1‐aminoalkane): 1‐aminoalkanes 1‐aminopropane (α‐ZrP·Pr), 1‐aminobutane (α‐ZrP·Bu), 1‐aminooctane (α‐ZrP·Oct), and 1‐aminohexadecane (α‐ZrP·Hed) was carried out at varying temperatures for 1 h periods. Reaction progress was not observed until the reactants were heated to 80 °C or above. On increasing the temperature, the conversion factors increased such that, at 140 °C, conversions of 62% (α‐ZrP·Pr), 60% (α‐ZrP·Bu), 67% (α‐ZrP·Oct), and 64% (α‐ZrP·Hed) were obtained. The thermal stabilities as latent initiators were tested: GPEs reacted with α‐ZrP·Pr, α‐ZrP·Bu, and α‐ZrP·Oct at 40 °C for 360 h achieved conversions of 83, 55, and 59%, respectively. In contrast, the reaction in the presence of α‐ZrP·Hed did not proceed at 40 °C. The order of the thermal stability of GPE in the presence of α‐ZrP·1‐aminoalkane intercalation compounds was: α‐ZrP·Hed > α‐ZrP·Bu ≈ α‐ZrP·Oct > α‐ZrP·Pr. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 1854–1861     

Cationic cure of epoxy resin initiated by methylanilinium salts as a latent thermal initiator

The effect of the novel N‐crotyl‐N,N‐dimethyl‐4‐methylanilinium hexafluroantimonate (CMH) initiator on cure kinetics and rheological properties of diglycidylether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) epoxy cationic system was investigated. From DSC measurements of the DGEBA/CMH system, it was found that this system exhibited excellent thermal latent characteristics at a given temperature and revealed complex cure behavior as indicated by multiple exotherms. The conversion and conversion rate of the DGEBA/CMH system increased with increasing the concentration of initiator, attributed to the high activity of CMH. Viscoelastic properties during gel formation of DGEBA initiated by CMH were investigated by rheological techniques under isothermal conditions. The gel time obtained from the modulus crossover point t(G′) = G″ was affected by a high curing temperature and the concentration of CMH, resulting in a high degree of network formation in cationic polymerization. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 39: 2397–2406, 2001     

Curing behavior of epoxy resin initiated by S‐alkylsulfonium salts of aromatic sulfides as thermal latent cationic initiators

The curing behavior of bisphenol‐A‐type epoxide oligomers (Ep) was evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry in the presence of S‐alkylsulfonium salts of dibenzothiophene, phenoxathiin, thianthrene, thioanisole, and tetrahydrothiophene as thermal latent initiators. These initiators dissolved homogeneously in Ep, except for 2,8‐dimethoxy‐5‐methyldibenzothiophenium tetrafluoroborate, and the curing reaction of the resulting mixtures occurred on heating, except for S‐methyltetrahydrothiophenium tetrafluoroborate. The initiation activity of these salts was controlled by the character of the substituents on the benzene ring, the leaving sulfide group, and the S‐alkyl group. Presumably, the electron density on the sulfide moieties and the stability of the carbocation released from the sulfonium salts affected the initiating temperature. A good correlation was obtained between the initiating temperature and the electron density of the sulfur atom of the corresponding sulfides, estimated from ab initio molecular orbital calculations in which the initiating temperature became higher as the electron density of the sulfur atom increased. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 868–871, 2001     

Living cationic polymerization of a vinyl ether with an unprotected pendant alkynyl group and their use for the protecting group‐free synthesis of macromonomer‐type glycopolymers via CuAAC with maltosyl azides

An asymmetric bifunctional monomer having both an unprotected alkynyl group and a vinyl ether (VE) group (3‐[2‐(2‐vinyloxyethoxy)‐ethoxy]‐propyne [VEEP]) was newly designed and found that the polymerization of VEEP smoothly proceeded in a controlled manner under a living cationic polymerization condition to give alkyne‐substituted polyVE (polyVEEP) without any protection of the pendant alkynyl function. Next, the use of an initiator with a methacryloyl moiety for the living cationic polymerization of VEEP afforded macromonomer‐type polyVE (MA‐PVEEP) carrying pendant alkynyl groups. The potential ability of the resultant macromonomer as an alkyne‐substituted polymer for the copper(I)‐catalyzed alkyne‐azide cycloaddition (CuAAC) was also confirmed. A novel macromonomer‐type glycopolymer [MA‐P(VE‐Mal)] having pendant maltose residues and a terminal methacryloyl group was successfully synthesized by CuAAC of MA‐PVEEP with maltosyl azide. Thus, a new pathway to the controlled synthesis of macromonomer‐type glycopolymers of free from any protecting/deprotecting processes was demonstrated. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019 , 57, 681–688     

Application of novel polymers with S‐alkylsulfonium salt moieties as alkylating agents and thermal latent cationic initiators

Sulfonium‐containing polymers prepared from dibenzothiophene and diphenyl sulfide were applied as both alkylating agents and latent initiators for the cationic polymerization of glycidyl phenyl ether. The alkylation of acetonitrile proceeded smoothly with poly(S‐n‐octyl‐2‐vinyldibenzothiophenium tetrafluoroborate) ( 4 ; 64 mol % octyldibenzothiophenium tetrafluoroborate unit) to give N‐(n‐octyl)acetamide in an excellent yield on the basis of the starting octyldibenzothiophenium tetrafluoroborate unit in 4 . The cationic polymerization of glycidyl phenyl ether was also carried out in the presence of poly(S‐methyl‐2‐vinyldibenzothiophenium tetrafluoroborate) or poly(S‐n‐octyl‐4‐vinyldiphenylsulfonium tetrafluoroborate) to confirm their moderate thermal latent activity. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 39: 3928–3933, 2001     

Living cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether by EtAlCl2 in the presence of ether additives: Cyclic ethers,cyclic formals,and acyclic ethers with oxyethylene units

The living cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE) was investigated in the presence of various cyclic and acyclic ethers with 1-(isobutoxy)ethyl acetate [CH₃CH(OiBu)OCOCH₃, 1 ]/EtAlCl₂ initiating system in hexane at 0°C. In particular, the effect of the basicity and steric hindrance of the ethers on the living nature and the polymerization rate was studied. The polymerization in the presence of a wide variety of cyclic ethers [tetrahydrofuran (THF), tetrahydropyran (THP), oxepane, 1,4-dioxane] and cyclic formals (1,3-dioxolane, 1,3-dioxane) gave living polymers with a very narrow molecular weight distribution (MWD) (M?_ω/M?_n ≤ 1.1). On the other hand, propylene oxide and oxetane additives resulted in no polymerization, whereas 1,3,5-trioxane gave the nonliving polymer with a broader MWD. The polymerization rates were dependent on the number of oxygen and ring sizes, which were related to the basicity and the steric hindrance. The order of the apparent polymerization rates in the presence of cyclic ether and formal additives was as follows: nonadditive ～ 1,3,5-trioxane ? 1,3-dioxane > 1,3-dioxolane ? 1,4-dioxane ? THP > oxepane ? THF ? oxetane, propylene oxide ? 0. The polymerization in the presence of the cyclic formals was much faster than that of the cyclic ethers: for example, the apparent propagation rate constant k in the presence of 1,3-dioxolane was 10³ times larger than that in the presence of THF. Another series of experiments showed that acyclic ethers with oxyethylene units were effective as additives for the living polymerization with 1 /EtAlCl₂ initiating system in hexane at 0°C. The polymers obtained in the presence of ethylene glycol diethyl ether and diethylene glycol diethyle ether had very narrow molecular weight distribution (M?_ω/M?_n ≤ 1.1), and the M?_n was directly proportional to the monomer conversion. The polymerization behavior was quite different in the polymerization rates and the MWD of the obtained polymers from that in the presence of diethyl ether. These results suggested the polydentate-type interaction or the alternate interaction of two or three ether oxygens in oxyethylene units with the propagating carbocation, to permit the living polymerization of IBVE. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Living cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers by electrophile/lewis acid initiating systems. VII. Living cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether by trimethylsilyl halide/zinc halide initiating systems in the presence of p-methoxybenzaldehyde: Effects of halide anions and zinc halides

Trimethylsilyl halides (Me₃SiY), in conjunction with zinc halides (ZnX₂) (Y and X:I, Br, Cl), were employed to investigate the living cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE) in toluene at ?15°C in the presence of p-methoxybenzaldehyde; with the aldehyde and IBVE monomer, Me₃SiY yields an initiating species [Me₃Si? O? CHC₆H₄(OM_e) ? CH₂CH(OiBu) ? Y] that triggers the IBVE polymerization via the activation of its carbon-halogen bond (C? Y) by ZnX₂ into C^δ+…?Y^δ?…?ZnX₂. Living polymerizations occurred with the silyl iodide and bromide irrespective of the type of ZnX₂, either when Y = X (Me₃Sil/Znl₂ and Me₃SiBr/ZnBr₂) or when Y ≠ X (Me₃Sil/ZnBr₂, Me₃SiI/ZnCl₂, and Me₃SiBr/Znl₂). With these five initiating systems, the number-average molecular weights (M?_n) of the polymers increased in proportion to monomer conversion, and the molecular weight distributions (MWDs) of the polymers were narrow (M?_w/M?_n = 1.1?1.2). The Me₃SiCl-based systems (Me₃SiCl/ZnCl₂ and Me₃SiCl/Znl₂), in (Me₃SiCl/Znl₂), in contrast, failed to give perfectly living polymerization; the M?_n indeed increased with conversion, but the MWDs of the polymers were broader (M?_w/M?_n = 1.3?1.5). Thus, the living nature of the polymerizations with Me₃SiY/Znx₂ is primarily determined by the halogen Y in Me₃SiY, which generates the terminal carbon-halogen bond (C? Y) that is activated by ZnX₂ for the propagation via a species C^δ+…?Y^δ?…?ZnX₂. For Y^?, not only the iodide but the bromide anion also is suited for living cationic polymerization. The virtual absence of the effects of X in ZnX₂ implies that the halogen exchange between ZnX₂ and Y from Me₃ SiY at the growing end (C^λ+…?Y^δ?…?ZnX₂ ?C^δ+…?X^δ?…?ZnXY) is absent or negligible.