Cationic polymerization with p-substituted benzyl p-hydroxyphenyl methyl sulfonium salts: Effect of substituents and mechanistic aspects of initiation reaction

Various p-substituted benzyl p-hydroxyphenyl methyl sulfonium salts ( 2 ) were synthesized and their initiator activities were evaluated in bulk polymerization of glycidyl phenyl ether (PGE). The order of the activity was found to be 2b (X = CH₃) > 2a (X = H) ≈ 2c (X = Cl) > 2d (X = NO₂), indicating that the introduction of an electron-donating group enhanced the activity. In Hammett's plots, the logarithm of the ratio of the polymerization rates (log k_x/k_H) was correlated with σ⁺_ρ better than with σ_p and a negative ρ⁺ value (-1.18) was obtained. Reaction of 2a with benzyl mercaptan mainly gave dibenzyl sulfide and p-hydroxyphenyl methyl sulfide. The obtained results seemed to demonstrate that the OH group of the aryl group yielded no proton as initiator for the polymerization, whereas the benzyl group caused the polymerization, which was initiated by the corresponding benzyl cation formed by C? S bond cleavage. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

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     

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.     

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     

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     

Synthesis of phosphate end‐functional polymers and application to thermally latent polymeric initiators

Novel phosphates, O‐p‐(hydroxymethyl)benzyl O,O‐diethyl phosphate ( 1 ) and O‐(2‐bromoisobutyryloxymethyl)benzyl O,O‐diethyl phosphate ( 2 ) were synthesized by the reaction of diethyl phosphorochloridate with 1,4‐benzenedimethanol and the successive reaction with 2‐bromoisobutyryl bromide in the presence of triethylamine and submitted to the polymerization of ?‐caprolactone and methyl methacrylate as the initiators. They afforded phosphate end‐functional poly(?‐caprolactone) and poly(methyl methacrylate) with controlled molecular weights and polydispersity ratios by living ring‐opening polymerization and samarium‐induced polymerization. The polymerization of glycidyl phenyl ether (GPE) was carried out with the phosphate end‐functional polymers as the latent polymeric initiators in the presence of ZnCl₂. The polymerization of GPE did not proceed below 90 °C, but it rapidly proceeded to afford poly(GPE) above the temperature. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 39: 3832–3840, 2001     

Photocrosslinking of copolymers of vinyloxyethyl methacrylate-styrene initiated by sulfonium salts. II. Photocrosslinking behaviors

Vinylether was used as a cationically polymerizable moiety and incorporated into sidechain of polymers as copolymers of vinyloxyethyl methacrylate (VEM) and styrene (St). Photoirradiation of the copolymers containing a small amount of benzyl(4-hydroxyphenyl) methylsulfonium salt (BSS) resulted in a high crosslinking density as evidenced by a low degree of swelling, which is ascribed to the high reactivity of the vinyloxy moieties. The sensitivity of this photoreaction is significantly high because of a large kinetic chain length of the cationic polymerization of vinylethers, while copolymers of glycidyl methacrylate and St showed crosslinking to much less extent when irradiated under the same condition. The ability of other sulfonium salts, (4-hydroxyphenyl) methyl(4-nitrobenzyl) sulfonium salt and (4-hydroxyphenyl) methyl(1-naphthylmethyl)sulfonium salt, to induce photocrosslinking was also examined. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis and properties of α-substituted benzylpyridinium salts as cationic initiators

α-Methylbenzylpyridinium SbF₆ (1a) and α,α-dimethylbenzylpyridinium SbF₆ (1b) were prepared and the effect of α-methyl groups on the active species and the activity of 1a, 1b during the cationic polymerization of glycidyl phenyl ether (GPE) was evaluated. 1b was prepared by the reaction of α,α-dimethylbenzyl alcohol with pyridinium hexafluoroantimonate (2) in several solvents, and the yield depended on the dipole moment of the solvents, although it was poor for the reaction of α,α-dimethylbenzyl chloride with pyridine for the steric hindrance of the α-methyl groups followed by exchange with NaSbF₆. Both 1a and 1b acted as a latent thermal initiator during the cationic polymerization of GPE and 1b showed higher activity during cationic polymerization with the higher steric effect of the α-methyl groups than 1a. The ¹H-NMR analysis of the obtained poly GPE indicated that the active species of 1b changed from the benzyl cation to H⁺, depending on the reaction temperature, although 1a released benzyl cations as active species in the cationic polymerization of GPE. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

N-alkoxy-pyridinium and N-alkoxy-quinolinium salts as initiators for cationic photopolymerizations

The polymerization of n-butyl vinyl ether (BVE), cyclohexene oxide (CHO) and 3,4-epoxycyclohexyl(methyl)-3′,4′-epoxycyclohexane carboxylate (EEC) was initiated upon UV irradiation (λ_inc > 300 nm) of dichloromethane solutions containing N-ethoxy-2-methylpyridinium ( V ), N-ethoxy-4-phenyl-pyridinium ( VI ) or N-ethoxy-isoquinolinium hexafluorophosphate ( VII ). Whereas the bifunctional EEC was converted into an insoluble gel, BVE and CHO formed polymers of molar mass: M_w = 2 X 10⁴?2 X 10⁵ (PCHO) and M_w ≈ 2 X 10⁴ (PBVE). Protons are formed with a rather high quantum yield [ø(H+) = 0.48 on irradiating VII in dichloromethane; titration with sodium p-nitrophenolate] and it is, therefore, assumed that the polymerization is initiated by photochemically generated protons. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

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     

Photocationic and radical polymerizations of epoxides and acrylates by novel sulfonium salts

Novel sulfonium salts [methyl‐, 2‐indany‐, or 1‐ethoxycarbonylethyl methyl‐2‐naphthylsulfonium hexafluorophosphate and 2‐indany‐, 1‐ethoxycarbonylethyl‐, 2‐methyl‐2‐phenylpropyl‐, 2‐phenylpropyl‐, 2‐phenylethyl‐, 2‐(4‐methoxyphenyl)‐ethyl‐, or 3‐(4‐methoxyphenyl)‐2‐propyl methylphenylsulfonium hexafluorophosphates] were synthesized by the reaction of dimethylsulfate and the corresponding sulfides followed by anion exchange with KPF₆. These sulfonium salts could polymerize epoxy monomers at lower temperatures than previously reported for benzylsulfonium salt initiators. In particular, sulfonium salts with naphthyl groups showed higher photoactivity than already reported for di(4‐tert‐butylphenyl)iodonium and triphenylsulfonium hexafluorophosphates. These sulfonium salts showed higher activity in photoradical polymerization and photocationic polymerization. The photopolymerization was accelerated by the addition of 4‐methoxy‐1‐naphthol, N‐ethylcarbazole, 2,4‐dimethylthioxanthone, phenothiazine, and 2‐ethyl‐9,10‐dimethoxyanthracene as photosensitizers. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 3816–3827, 2003     

Allyl sulfonium salt as a novel initiator for active cationic polymerization of epoxide by shooting with radicals species

A rapid cationic polymerization of cyclohexene oxide that completed within a few minutes was achieved by a new initiation system that involves (1) a copper‐catalyzed reduction of benzoyl peroxide by an ascorbic acid derivative that generates free radicals and (2) capture of the radicals by allyl sulfonium salt having hexafluoroantimonate (SbF) as a counter anion, followed by fragmentation of sulfonium radical cation, from which a super acid HSbF₆ was produced to initiate the rapid polymerization. The key factor in designing an efficient allyl sulfonium salt was attachment of an electron withdrawing ester group at the allyl group, of which ability to stabilize the formed radical can enhance the efficiency in trapping radicals by the allylic salt. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 4178–4183, 2010     

Synthesis and cationic photopolymerization of 1-butenyl glycidyl ether

1-Butenyl glycidyl ether was prepared in high yield by the ruthenium-catalyzed isomerization of crotyl glycidyl ether. This ambifunctional monomer underwent facile photoinitiated cationic polymerization using diaryliodonium salts as photoinitiators. The progress of the polymerizations was followed using Fourier transform real-time infrared spectroscopy, and the reactivity of this monomer under various experimental conditions determined. A comparison of the rates of polymerization of the epoxy and vinyl ether groups suggested that the polymerization may take place by an intramolecular cyclization process that generates cyclic acetal units in the backbone of the polymer. It was further shown that crotyl glycidyl ether undergoes regioselective cationic ring-opening polymerization to give a polyether, and then isomerization was carried out to give an oligomer bearing reactive pendant 1-butenyl ether groups. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 1179–1187, 1998     

Diphenylphenacyl sulfonium salt as dual photoinitiator for free radical and cationic polymerizations

Diphenylphenacylsulfonium tetrafluoroborate (DPPS⁺BF^4–) salt possessing both phenacyl and sulfonium structural units was synthesized and characterized. DPPS⁺BF^4– absorbs light at relatively higher wavelengths. The direct and sensitized initiation activity of the salt in both cationic and free radical photopolymerizations was investigated and compared with that of its analogue triphenylsulfonium tetrafluoroborate (TPS⁺BF^4–). Differential scanning photocalorimetry and conventional gravimetric studies revealed that DPPS⁺BF^4– showed higher efficiency for direct and sensitized photopolymerizations of most of the monomers investigated. Although, principally both homolytic and/or heterolytic cleavage is possible, theoretical studies suggested that homolytic pathway is more favored for the generation of reactive initiating species. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018 , 56, 451–457     

Effects of C3-aromatic heterocycles on 1,3,5-triaryl-2-pyrazoline sulfonium salt photoacid generators as light-emitting diode-sensitive cationic photoinitiators

Four 1,5-diphenyl-3-aromatic heterocyclyl-2-pyrazoline-based sulfonium salt photoacid generators (PAGs) with different aromatic heterocycles substituted on C3 atom and dimethyl sulfonium group on C5 atom were synthesized. These PAGs were highly photosensitive in the 365–425 nm light-emitting diode region, and the intramolecular charge transfer from the pyrazoline ring to sulfonium salts induced efficient photolysis and high Φ_H⁺. The heterocycles as well as their substituted positions significantly influenced the energy of the S₂ orbital, which was determined by the electrochemical and absorption properties of the PAGs. The raising of the S₂ orbital energy enlarged the energy gap of S₀–S₂ and S₁–S₂, resulting in blue shift of the absorption spectra and increase in the quantum yield of photoacid generation (Φ_H⁺), respectively. When the energy of excited electrons was higher than that of the S₂ orbital, the transition from S₀ to S₂ (π–π*) occurred before the C-S cleavage on S₁ and the PAGs showed high Φ_H⁺ values (0.52–0.72). The transition from S₀ to S₁ (π–σ*) occurred when the energy of electrons is lower than that of the S₂ orbital, and the PAGs showed low Φ_H⁺ value. The photopolymerization kinetics demonstrated that these PAGs were highly efficient cationic photoinitiators.     

Novel photocurable monomers: The synthesis of difunctional vinyl ethers with a phosphonate group and difunctional 1‐propenyl ethers with a phosphonate group and their photoinitiated cationic polymerization

Phosphorus‐containing vinyl ether monomers and 1‐propenyl ether monomers were prepared by the regioselective addition reaction of glycidyl vinyl ether (GVE) or 1‐propenyl glycidyl ether with diaryl phosphonates with quaternary onium salts as catalysts. The reaction of GVE with bis(4‐chlorophenyl) phenylphosphonate gave bis[1‐(4‐chlorophenoxy methyl)‐2‐(vinyloxy)ethyl]phenylphosphonate in a 68% yield. The structures of the resulting phosphorus‐containing vinyl ether monomers and 1‐propenyl ether monomers were confirmed by IR and ¹H NMR spectra and elemental analysis. Photoinitiated cationic polymerizations of the resulting phosphorus‐containing vinyl ether monomers and 1‐propenyl ether monomers were investigated with photoacid generators. The polymerization of vinyl ether groups and 1‐propenyl ether groups of the obtained monomers proceeded very smoothly with a sulfonium‐type cationic photoinitiator, bis[4‐(diphenylsulfonio)phenyl]sulfide‐bis(hexafluorophosphate), upon UV irradiation. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 3105–3115, 2005     

Cationic polymerization behavior of isobutyl vinyl ether with arenesulfonates as non‐salt‐type latent thermal initiators

Substituted and unsubstituted benzenesulfonic acid cyclohexyl esters (1–7) were synthesized, and their possibility as latent thermal initiators in the cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE) was examined to develop novel non‐salt type latent cationic initiators. Thermal decomposition of cyclohexyl p‐nitrobenzenesulfonate (2) in C₆D₆ at 80°C proceeded to exclusively afford cyclohexene as well as p‐nitrobenzenesulfonic acid. Cationic polymerization of IBVE with 1 mol % of an arenesulfonate (1–6) in bulk was carried out at 40–100°C for 12 h. No polymerization took place below 50°C, while the consumption of IBVE depending on both the polymerization temperature and the structure of the arenesulfonates was observed above 60°C. The obtained polyIBVEs showed bimodal GPC curves in several cases, revealing the intervention of two independent propagation species in the polymerization. The cationic polymerization of IBVE with cyclohexyl 2,4,6‐triisopropylbenzenesulfonate (7) at 80°C confirmed the acceleration effect of bulkiness on the polymerization rate. It was concluded that the polymerization was largely dependent on both electronic and steric factors of the aryl groups of the initiators which were directly related to the stability of the sulfonate anions. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 293–301, 1999