Advancing from unimechanism polymerization to multimechanism polymerization: binary polymerization

Polymerizations with multiple mechanisms performed simultaneously are promising but very challenging. As the key limitation,the complicated mutual influence between different mechanisms can be hardly defined and measured. Herein we establish a universal framework for the assessment of mutual influence between different mechanisms using binary polymerization for demonstration. The kinetics and thermodynamics of polymerization with two mechanisms are compared with the corresponding homopolymerization and the difference is expressed by a hybrid function. The hybrid function is composed of a hybrid parameter that describes the extent of mutual influence and a function that describes necessary conditions for mutual influence to occur. The extent of mutual influence can be calculated using kinetic and thermodynamic data without details of reaction mechanisms, for the first time providing a straightforward method to assess the mutual influence between different polymerization mechanisms.We envision that the method has potential in more complex systems with multiple mechanisms/monomers with mutual influence.     

Organocatalytic polymerization

<正>Organocatalysis, defined as the use of small organic molecules for catalyzing chemical transformations, can be traced back more than a century and has become a thriving area over the past 20 years~([1]). Recently, it has offered a number of opportunities in polymer synthesis, wherein the organic molecules can promote the polymerization reactions as catalysts or initiators, which arises the conceptualization of     

DNA-catalyzed polymerization

Native DNA oligomers are shown to be stereoselective catalysts for the polymerization of 5'-amino-3'-acetaldehyde-modified thymidine/adenosine nucleosides through reductive amination. The reaction follows step-growth kinetics to read the encoded sequence and chain-length information in the antiparallel direction. Single mismatches in the template are selected against at a level of >100:1. A method is therefore established to translate biopolymer-encoded information stereoselectively into sequence- and chain-length specific synthetic polymers.     

Isoprene polymerization via reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer polymerization

Until recently, the primary living radical polymerization method available for preparing polyisoprene was nitroxide‐mediated radical polymerization, with reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer polymerization being applied only in a few cases within the last couple of years. We report here the preparation of polyisoprene by RAFT in the presence of the trithiocarbonate transfer agent S‐1‐dodecyl‐S′‐(r,r′‐dimethyl‐r′′‐acetic acid)trithiocarbonate and t‐butyl peroxide as the radical initiator. The kinetics of this polymerization at an optimized temperature of 125 °C and radical initiator concentration of 0.2 equiv relative to transfer agent have been studied in triplicate and demonstrate the living nature of the polymerization. These conditions resulted in polymers with narrow polydispersity indices, on the order of 1.2, with monomer conversions up to 30%. Retention of chain‐end functionality was demonstrated by polymerizing styrene as a second block from a polyisoprene macrotransfer agent, resulting in a block copolymer presenting a unimodal gel permeation chromatogram, and narrow molecular weight distribution. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 4100–4108, 2007     

Living carbocationic polymerization. IV. Living polymerization of isobutylene

Truly living polymerization of isobutylene (IB) has been achieved for the first time by the use of new initiating systems comprising organic acetate-BCl₃ complexes under conventional laboratory conditions in various solvents from ?10 to ?50°C. The overall rates of polymerization are very high, which necessitated the development of the incremental monomer addition (IMA) technique to demonstrate living systems. The living nature of the polymerizations was demonstrated by linear M _n versus grams polyisobutylene (PIB) formed plots starting at the origin and horizontal number of polymer molecules formed versus amount of polymer formed plots. DP _n obeys [IB]/[CH₃COOR^t · BCl₃]. Molecular weight distributions (MWD) are very narrow in homogeneous systems (M _w/M _n = 1.2–1.3) whereas somewhat broader values are obtained when the polymer precipitates out of solution (M _w/M _n = 1.4–3.0). The MWDs tend to narrow with increasing molecular weights, i.e., with the accumulation of precipitated polymer in the reactor. Traces of moisture do not affect the outcome of living polymerizations. In the presence of monomer both first and second order chain transfer to monomer are avoided even at ?10°C. The diagnosis of first and second order chain transfer has been accomplished, and the first order process seems to dominate. Forced termination can be effected either by thermally decomposing the propagating complexes or by nucleophiles. In either case the end groups will be tertiary chlorides. The living polymerization of isobutylene initiated by ester. BCl₃ complexes most likely proceeds by a two-component group transfer polymerization.     

Chromocene catalysts for ethylene polymerization: Scope of the polymerization

Chromocene deposited on silica supports of high surface area forms a highly active catalyst for polymerization of ethylene. Polymerization is believed to occur by a coordinated anionic mechanism previously outlined. The catalyst formation step liberates cyclopentadiene and leads to a new divalent chromium species containing a cyclopentadienyl ligand. The catalyst has a very high chain-transfer response to hydrogen which permits facile preparation of a full range of molecular weights. Catalyst activity increases with an increase in silica dehydration temperature, chromium content on silica, and ethylene reaction pressure. The temperature-activity profile is characterized by a maximum near 60°C, presumably caused by a deactivation mechanism involving silica hydroxyl groups. A value of 72 was estimated for the ethylene–propylene reactivity ratio (r₁). Linear, highly saturated polymers are normally prepared below 100°C. By contrast with other commercial polyethylenes, the chromocene catalyst produces polyethylenes of relatively narrow molecular weight distribution. Above 100°C, unsaturated, branched polymers or oligomers are formed by a simultaneous polymerization–isomerization process.     

Semi-suspension polymerization process

A novel heterogeneous polymerization process for synthesizing particulate with a wide range of properties has been developed. This process, which is called semi - suspension polymerization (SSP), consists of two steps. In the first step a mixture of monomer, polymer, initiator, and other required ingredients is prepared by means of a non- suspension polymerization process. In the second step, this mixture is suspended in the continuous phase and is polymerized to complete conversion. The properties of the semi-polymerized mixture prepared in the first step as well as the rate of polymerization in the second step can be used to control inter-droplet and/or intra-particle mass transfer. This unique capability allows control of the mass transfer between and within particles during the suspension polymerization, thereby enabling synthesis of particulate with a wide range of molecular properties and morphologies unattainable by conventional suspension polymerization. The characteristics of this process and its advantages/limitations will be discussed.     

Semicontinuous microemulsion polymerization

Batch microemulsion polymerization is a process that allows the synthesis of oil-soluble and water-soluble nanoparticles, nanocomposites and nanogels smaller than ca. 50 nm with larger molecular weights (ca. 10⁷ g/mol); however, the large amounts of surfactant required by this process to produce small amounts of polymer have hindered its industrial scaling. Semicontinuous O/W and W/O microemulsion polymerizations allow increasing the polymer content without adding more surfactant to the original reacting formulation. The several schemes of semicontinuous microemulsion polymerization that have been proposed, semibatch, semicontinuous feeding or lot additions of monomer to the reacting microemulsion, are reviewed here. Semicontinuous inverse microemulsion polymerization, which is a process to synthesized water-soluble polymer nanoparticles that have important applications as superabsorbents and flocculants, are also reviewed. Moreover, alternative processes, denoted by our group as normal and inverse semicontinuous heterophase polymerizations, which allows the synthesis of even larger concentration of polymer employing smaller amounts of surfactant compared to microemulsion polymerization, are examined.     

Evidence and mechanisms of filling polymerization by plasma-induced graft polymerization

Using a plasma-induced graft polymerization technique, which is well known as a surface modification method, the grafted polymer was formed in pores of the porous material. This study examined the filling mechanism. Five thin porous films were sandwiched together, and employed as the substrate. The substrate was treated by plasma, and the change in surface tension and radical formation was measured for each sheet after the sheet was separated. The only surface on which surface-tension change was detected, was that of the sheet directly exposed to the plasma. Although plasma treatment made polymer radicals primarily on the outer surface of the sheet, the treatment also formed a few radicals inside the sheets. The radicals inside the sheets reacted with methylacrylate and grafted polymer formed in the pores. The location of grafted polymer depended on the balance between monomer diffusivity and reactivity. The grafting rate depended on which monomer solvent was used for the polymerization. Thus, the grafted membrane morphology could be controlled by varying the grating solvent composition. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Radical polymerization of ethyl acrylate with dead end polymerization conditions

The radical polymerization of ethyl acrylate (EA) with 4,4^′-azobis(4-cyanovaleric)acid as initiator was investigated in propionitrile at 363 K in order to obtain carboxy-telechelic oligo(ethyl acrylate). The results of functionality and molecular weights showed that a transfer reaction had occurred. A molecular weight study was performed in order to show the importance of transfer to solvent due to the high reactivity of the EA radical. Finally, the radical polymerization was investigated at very low temperature (253-273 K), using a redox system initiation. A behavior of dead end polymerization was observed but the activation energy of propagation for EA is still high and does not allow the synthesis of a telechelic oligomer.     

Living carbocationic polymerization. IV. Living polymerization of isobutylene

Truly living polymerization of isobutylene (IB) has been achieved for the first time by the use of new initiating systems comprising organic acetate-BCl³ complexes under conventional laboratory conditions in various solvents from −10 to −50°C. The overall rates of polymerization are very high, which necessitated the development of the incremental monomer addition (IMA) technique to demonstrate living systems. The living nature of the polymerizations was demonstrated by linear versus grams polyisobutylene (PIB) formed plots starting at the origin and horizontal number of polymer molecules formed versus amount of polymer formed plots. obeys [IB]/[CH₃COOR^t · BCl₃]. Molecular weight distributions (MWD) are very narrow in homogeneous systems whereas somewhat broader values are obtained when the polymer precipitates out of solution . The MWDs tend to narrow with increasing molecular weights, i.e., with the accumulation of precipitated polymer in the reactor. Traces of moisture do not affect the outcome of living polymerizations. In the presence of monomer both first and second order chain transfer to monomer are avoided even at −10°C. The diagnosis of first and second order chain transfer has been accomplished, and the first order process seems to dominate. Forced termination can be effected either by thermally decomposing the propagating complexes or by nucleophiles. In either case the end groups will be tertiary chlorides. The living polymerization of isobutylene initiated by ester · BCl₃ complexes most likely proceeds by a two-component group transfer polymerization.     

Comparison of living polymerization mechanisms. Acrylates and carbocationic polymerization

The concept of a living polymerization is critically discussed. A system ranking various classes of “livingness” is proposed, and the importance of determining the real values of k_tr/k_p and k_t/k_p ratios is expounded. New living systems, including carbocationic polymerization and group transfer polymerization of acrylates are compared with classic ionic systems. The mechanism of propagation and the nature of the true active species are similar in both new and classic polymerizations. The role of various components which improve the “livingness” of the polymerizations is discussed and explained by dynamic equilibration between dormant and active species and suppression of side reactions.     

Spatially intermittent polymerization

A novel reactor has been designed which permits the precise determination of absolute rate constants in photoinitiated free-radical vinyl polymerization. A solution of monomer and initiator flows through a dark tubular reactor past regularly spaced slots through which light shines. The alternating dark and light regions produce spatially intermittent polymerization (SIP) and make the system analogous to the well-known rotating-sector technique. However, the SIP reactor has the advantage of producing large volumes of reaction product, at low conversion, suitable for analysis of both conversion and molecular weight. This supplies the necessary data, from a single set of experiments, for the simultaneous determination of the rate constants for propagation and termination. Experimental data are reported at 25°C for methyl methacrylate which indicate that k_p = 315 I./mole-sec, independent of polymer molecular weight, and k_t is dependent on molecular weight especially at low molecular weight, approaching a lower value of k_t = 30 × 10⁶ I./mole-sec at a molecular weight of 10⁶. For styrene, measurements being made only at high molecular weight, k_p = 74 ± 5 and k_t = 37 ± 0.3 × 10⁶ l./mole-sec at 25°C.     

Polarons radical polymerization

Polystyrene has been typically prepared with radical polymerization by benzoyl peroxide (BPO) or azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN). In this report, polymerization of styrene was carried out by radical cations of polyaniline (PANI). Polarons of conducting polymers are consisting of radical cations. The polarons bear electrical conduction as a charge carrier. We employ the polarons as an initiator for radical polymerization. Polymerization of styrene and acrylonitrile by the polarons was conducted to explore new possibility of conducting polymers. Fourier‐transfer infrared absorption (FTIR) spectroscopy measurements for the resultant polymers obtained with polarons of polyaniline indicates that the polystyrene thus synthesized grows from polyaniline. The qualitative solubility, average molecular weight, and thermal stability are comparable to that of polystyrene obtained by the common method with BPO. Radical polymerization by polarons may provide a new avenue for radical polymerizations through application of conducting polymer. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018 , 56, 805–811     

Living diradical polymerization

A diradical initiator containing two thermoreversible bonds was prepared and used for the polymerization of styrene at 90°C. The monomer consumption and the variation of the molecular weight were monitored with time. The results show that the process can be considered as living and that the polymerization rate is independent of the radical initiator concentration. By elemental analysis of the chain ends it was concluded that the propagation reaction occurs at both ends.     

Stereospecific polymerization of methacrylonitrile. II. Influence of polymerization conditions on polymerization and on properties of polymers

Stereospecific polymerization of methacrylonitrile with diethylmagnesium has been studied. Polymerization temperature has an important effect on polymerization. The conversion, stereoregularity, and intrinsic viscosity of the polymer increased significantly with increasing polymerization temperature. Stereoregularity of the polymer improved with increasing the polymerization time and the monomer concentration, but it is independent of the catalyst concentration. Intrinsic viscosity of the crystalline polymer increased with increasing monomer concentration but is independent of the polymerization time and the catalyst concentration. It is suggested that two mechanisms are involved in this polymerization: coordinated anionic polymerization to from the crystalline polymer, and probably conventional anionic polymerization to form the amorphous polymer. It is found that crystalline polymer can also be obtained in homogeneous phase such as in tetrahydrofuran solvent.     

Photoinduced miniemulsion polymerization

This study describes the radical photopolymerization of acrylate monomers in miniemulsion. Starting from nanosized acrylate droplets (<100 nm) which encapsulate a type I radical photoinitiator (BAPO), UV irradiation led after a few minutes to the formation of polymer nanoparticles of similar size. The present study deals with the kinetics aspects of this reaction and the colloidal properties of the resulting polymer dispersions. Real-time Fourier transform near-infrared spectroscopy in transmission was implemented to follow continuously the fast photopolymerization process. In addition, the spatial resolution of the photoinduced process allowed the online monitoring of the evolution of the miniemulsion size during the UV irradiation through dynamic light scattering.     

Helix-induced asymmetric polymerization

Asymmetric polymerization could be induced by an already formed optically active living prepolymer with one-handed screw sense helix conformation. The usually formed anionic active centre on the prepolymer could be changed to cationic, radical and even of Ziegler-Natta type. These living prepolymers with various kinds of active centre were all effective to induce a consequent asymmetric polymerization of a monomer which may be other than that in the prepolymer, to afford an optically active helical chain with the same screw sense as that of the prepolymer. Eight monomers have been used in the work. Optical rotation, circular dichroism and gelpermeation chromatography have been taken to prove the helix-induced asymmetric polymerization.     

Gold-promoted styrene polymerization

Styrene can be polymerized at room temperature in the presence of equimolar mixtures of the gold(III) complexes (NHC)AuBr3 (NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene ligand) and NaBAr'4, in the first example of a gold-induced olefin polymerization reaction.