Sequence distribution in ethylene-propylene copolymers. II. The 13C NMR spectra,multad populations,and kinetic parameters

Monad, dyad, and triad populations have been derived from the ¹³C NMR spectra of eight ethylene-propylene copolymers. Using these values, Kinetic parameters of the polymerization have been calculated, including conditional probabilities, and reactivity ratios. The fraction of propylene entering in an inverted order has been found to be about 20%. The copolymerization is dominated by the relatively large reactivity of ethylene. There is an alternating tendency for the two monomers which is evident both in the normal addition of propylene and the inverted addition. Penultimate effects do not play a significant role.     

The Microstructure of Poly(Isobutylene-co-p-Methylstyrene) by NMR Spectroscopy

Abstract

The microstructure of isobutylene-para-methylstyrene (IB-pMeSt) copolymers was studied by NMR spectroscopy. ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR spectra were used to obtain overall copolymer compositions. ¹³C-NMR signals were assigned in terms of triad monomer sequences, and triad distributions were obtained over a wide copolymer composition range. According to statistical tests, the IB-pMeSt copolymerization cannot be described by zero- (Bernoullian) or first-order Markov models because reactivity ratios r _IB and r _pMeSt were found to change with the monomer feed composition. Additional insight into the microstructure of IB-pMeSt copolymers was gained by calculating sequence numbers, run numbers, and sequence lengths from triad distributions. Further, the Kelen-Tüdös plot showed a distinct curvature indicating that the Kelen-Tüdös method, applied over the entire monomer feed composition range, cannot give meaningful reactivity ratios for this monomer pair. Evidently the simple two-parameter Mayo-Lewis model is inadequate to describe the IB-pMeSt copolymerization system.     

Reactivity Ratios and Sequence Distribution Characterization by Quantitative 13C NMR for RAFT Synthesis of Styrene‐Acrylonitrile Copolymers

The kinetics and reactivity ratios of styrene‐acrylonitrile (SA) copolymerization have been studied extensively in bulk and in a variety of solution media using conventional free radical polymerizations (FRPs). Due to the significant difference in the two reactivity ratios for this monomer pair, at certain feed ratios the copolymers display composition drift with conversion due to monomer depletion. In this study, the kinetics of SA copolymerization using Reversible Addition‐Fragmentation Chain Transfer (RAFT) has been studied in bulk at 80 °C. The reactivity ratios for the terminal model were calculated from the comonomer sequence distributions for the RAFT process at low conversion for nine different compositions and found to be in the same range as those reported for conventional FRP of SA. The changes in the composition and sequence distribution with conversion were studied for three feed compositions. The copolymers show compositional drift with conversion, except at the azeotropic composition, and match the predictions from the reactivity ratios obtained at low conversion. From quantitative ¹³C NMR the triad distributions of these copolymers were estimated and found to match the predicted triad distributions as conversion increased. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55, 919–927     

苯乙烯-4-甲基丙烯酰氧-2.2.6.6-四甲基哌啶共聚物的250兆赫~1H-核磁共振研究

本文用250兆赫~1H-核磁共振技术研究了苯乙烯(S)-4-甲基丙烯酰氧-2、2.6.6-四甲基哌啶(M)自由基引发聚合的共聚物的组分比和微结构,定量测定了以M为中心的三元组分布。由此确认该共聚体系属于一级马尔可夫链模型,并确定了单体竞聚率常数,r_M=0.32,r_S=0.60。对苯乙烯含量较多的共聚物还定量估计了以S为中心的三元组分布,与理论上计算结果有很好的一致性。     

Copolymerization of oxetane with 3,3-dimethyloxetane-I. Reactivity parameters and microstructure of the copolymers

The copolymerization of 3,3-dimethyloxetane and oxetane has been studied in methylene chloride at 20°, with triethyloxonium tetrafluoroborate as initiator. The copolymerization reactivity parameters are r_DMOx = 0.95 and r_Ox = 1.19. By means of 300 MHz ¹H-NMR spectroscopy, the microstructure of the copolymers could be analyzed in terms of triad abundances. The observed values are in good agreement with the values calculated from the reactivity parameters thus showing the absence of penultimate effects and of re-distribution of the structural units in the copolymers. The results demonstrate that Ox is more reactive than DMOx to either of the two growing species in the copolymerization.     

Determination of microstructure and glass-transition temperature of acrylonitrile-methyl acrylate copolymers by 13C-NMR spectroscopy

Acrylonitrile-methyl acrylate (A/M) copolymers of different monomer compositions were prepared by bulk polymerization using free radical initiator (benzoyl peroxide). Copolymer compositions were determined by elemental analyses and comonomer reactivity ratios were determined by the nonlinear least squares errors-in-variables methods (EVM). Terminal and penultimate reactivity ratios have been calculated using the observed monomer triad sequence distribution determined from ¹³C{¹H}-NMR spectra. The triad sequence distribution was used to calculate diad concentrations, conditional probability parameters, number-average sequence lengths, and run number in the copolymers. The observed triad sequence concentrations determined from ¹³C{¹H}-NMR spectrum agreed well with those calculated from reactivity ratios. Glass transition temperatures (T_g) of various copolymers determined from DSC gave good agreement with those obtained from NMR. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Copolymerization of propylene with 1‐octene catalyzed by rac‐Me2Si(2,4,6‐Me3‐Ind)2ZrCl2/methyl aluminoxane

The copolymerization of propylene with 1‐octene was carried out with rac‐dimethylsilylbis(2,4,6‐trimethylindenyl)zirconium dichloride as a catalyst activated by methylaluminoxane (MAO) and an MAO/triisobutylaluminum mixture. The copolymerization conditions, including the polymerization temperature, Al/Zr molar ratio, and 1‐octene concentration in the feed, significantly influenced the catalyst activity, 1‐octene incorporation, polymer molecular weight, and melting temperature. The addition of 1‐octene to the polymerization system caused a decrease in the activity, whereas the melting temperature and intrinsic viscosity of the polymer increased. The microstructure of the propylene–1‐octene copolymer was characterized by ¹³C NMR, and the reactivity ratios of the copolymerization were estimated from the dyad distribution of the monomer sequences. The amount of regioirregular structures arising from 2,1‐ and 1,3‐misinserted propylene decreased as the 1‐octene content increased. The influence of the propagation chain on the polymerization mechanism is proposed to be the main reason for the changes in the reactivity ratios and regioirregularity with the polymerization conditions. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 4299–4307, 2000     

Copolymerization of 4-cyclopentene-1,3-dione with p-chlorostyrene and vinylidene chloride

The copolymerization of 4-cyclopentene-1,3-dione (M₂) with p-chlorostyrene and vinylidene chloride is reported. The copolymers were prepared in sealed tubes under nitrogen with azobisisobutyronitrile initiator. Infrared absorption bands at 1580 cm.^?1 revealed the presence of a highly enolic β-diketone and indicated that copolymerization had occurred. The copolymer compositions were determined from the chlorine analyses and the reactivity ratios were evaluated. The copolymerization with p-chlorostyrene (M₁) was highly alternating and provided the reactivity ratios r₁ = 0.32 ± 0.06, r₂ = 0.02 ± 0.01. Copolymerization with vinylidene chloride (M₁) afforded the reactivity ratios r₁ = 2.4 ± 0.6, r₂ = 0.15 ± 0.05. The Q and e values for the dione (Q = 0.13, e = 1.37), as evaluated from the results of the vinylidene chloride case, agree closely with the previously reported results of copolymerization with methyl methacrylate and acrylonitrile and confirm the general low reactivity of 4-cyclopentene-1,3-dione in nonalternating systems.     

Copolymerisation radicalaire du méthacrylate de méthyle et du chlorure de vinylidène avec ou sans dérive de composition

Two sets of methylmethacrylate-vinylidene chloride copolymers were prepared via radical copolymerization in dimethylformamide. The first set is carried out in batches. Gas-chromatographic analysis of samples allows a kinetic study from which the reactivity ratios r_M - 2.73 and r_C - 0.24 are derived. For the second set a new apparatus, briefly described, has been used. It permits to keep constant the composition of the monomer mixture, through addition of methyl methacrylate, monitored by a chromatographic analysis. The two sets of copolymers are analyzed using nuclear magnetic resonance (60 MHz) leading to the triad distribution, from which the reactivity ratios are derived. Owing to the composition drift, the method cannot be applied to the first set of copolymers; but in that case, it is possible to calculate the triad distribution, the knowledge of the reactivity ratios, and the calculation fits quite well the experimental results.     

A Methylene-bridged salicylaldiminato tridentate [ONS] binuclear titanium complex for ethylene-norbornene copolymerization

A binuclear titanium complex Ti²L_a with methylene-bridged salicylaldiminato tridentate [ONS] ligand bearing octylthio sidearm was synthesized and used for the copolymerization of ethylene and norbornene (E-NB). The complex exhibited activity over 10⁶ g/mol(Ti)^.h^.atm and high degree incorporation of co-monomer (up to 49.9 mol %), affording high-molecular-weight copolymers with narrow molecular weight distribution. The E-NB copolymers produced by Ti²L_a/MMAO contained NN dyad and NNN triad sequences even at low norbornene feeds, in contrast to the observation of such sequences only at high level of NB incorporation for most other catalyst systems. The monomer reactivity ratios were calculated to be r_E = 14.62 and r_N = 0.08, of which the r_N value was much larger than that from non-metallocene titanium catalyst systems. The catalytic performances of the binuclear complex Ti²L_a and its mononuclear analogue TiL_b were also compared, with the binuclear complex exhibiting higher catalytic activity and NB incorporation ratio due to the binuclear cooperative effect, and producing much higher molecular weight copolymer due to the increased steric hindrance caused by close proximity of two growing chains. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the few examples of binuclear catalyst for E-NB copolymerization with high activity and efficient incorporation of norbornene.     

Alternating copolymerization of polar vinyl monomers in the presence of zinc chloride. I. Propagation and initiation of the copolymerization of acrylonitrile with styrene copolymer

Copolymerization of acrylonitrile with styrene spontaneously occurred on addition of zinc chloride without addition of any other radical initiator. The composition of the copolymer approached that of strictly alternating copolymer as zinc chloride added to the copolymerization system increased. The significance of the apparent monomer reactivity ratios of this copolymerization system was studied from a kinetic point of view, and it was shown that the monomer sequence distribution is indicated by the apparent monomer reactivity ratios. Further, equations which represent the relation between the apparent monomer reactivity ratios and Q,e values at a given salt concentration were derived. These equations reasonably accounted for the decrease of the apparent monomer reactivity ratios of the copolymerization of acrylonitrile with styrene in the presence of zinc chloride and the behavior of the other acrylonitrile copolymerization systems in the presence of zinc chloride. The initiation step of the spontaneous radical copolymerization of acrylonitrile with styrene in the presence of zinc chloride was explained by a cross-initiation mechanism.     

Synthesis,Characterization, and Reactivity Ratios of Phenyl Methacrylate-N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone Copolymers

Free radical solution copolymerization of phenyl methacrylate and N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone was carried out using benzoyl peroxide in 2-butanone solution at 70°C. The composition of the copolymer was determined using ¹H-NMR spectra by comparing the intensities of aromatic protons to that of total protons. The results were used to calculaie the copolymerization reactivity ratios by both the Fineman-Ross (F-R) and Kelen-Tüdös (K-T) methods. The reactivity ratios are r ₁ = 4.49 ± 1.27 and r ₂ = 0.05 ± 0.09 as determined by the K-T method. These values are in good agreement with those determined by the F-R method. The FT-infrared and ¹³C-NMR spectra of the copolymer are discussed.     

Fortran IV programs for the penultimate copolymerization model

Three programs have been written for calculations involving use of the penultimate copolymerization model. The first computes the penultimate reactivity ratios from composition-conversion data, without constraints, at any conversion. A nonlinear leastsquares technique using Marquardt's algorithm is employed. The second program computes the four optimum starting monomer feed ratios, M₁⁰/M₂⁰ which should be used by the experimenter from the penultimate reactivity ratios. These optimum feed ratios are obtained by choosing the conditions necessary to minimize the determinant of the variance-covariance matrix. The input for the first program includes estimates of known values of the penultimate reactivity ratios. By using these two programs sequentially the experimenter has an optimized experimental approach toward evaluating penultimate reactivity ratios at any conversion. Finally, a program has been provided to calculate composition–conversion data, given penultimate reactivity ratios.     

High resolution 1H NMR study of 2-vinyl pyridine methyl methacrylate copolymers

The compositions and the microstructures of the copolymers formed by radical-initiated copolymerization of 2-vinyl pyridine and methyl methacrylate have been quantitatively studied using 250 MHz ¹H NMR spectra. V-centered triad and M-centered triad distributions were quantitatively measured. These results confirmed that this copolymerization system belongs to the first order Markov chain model. Reactivity ratios for 2-vinyl pyridine and methyl methacrylate established are rv = 0.64 and rM = 0.31, respectively, agreeing very well with those calculated theoretically.     

Nouvelle méthode de détermination des taux de réativité des copolymères par résonance magnétique nucléaire: Application aux poly(méthacrylate de méthyle–chlorure de vinylidène)

Constant-composition copolymers of methyl methacrylate and vinylidene chloride produced by radical copolymerization are studied by ¹H-NMR at 60 and 250 MHz. The different methods of the literature for the derivation of reactivity ratios from either the copolymer composition or the sequence average lengths, or even the diad distribution, are applied but lead to rather dispersed results. A new graphical method is proposed, based on the use of peculiar values of the triad distribution functions. It allows us to detect a penultimate effect for the vinylidene chloride-rich region. In the same range, a change in tacticity of the diads and triads on the methylmethacrylate sequences, as compared with homopolymers, is observed; it suggests that the anomaly is caused by the competition of the depropagation reaction.     

Ambient Temperature Photocopolymerization of Tetrahydrofurfuryl Methacrylate and Isobornyl Methacrylate: Reactivity Ratios and Thermal Studies

Photocopolymerization of heterocyclic monomer namely, tetrahydrofurfuryl methacrylate with bulky bicyclic monomer, isobornyl methacrylate with different feed ratios was carried out in bulk with low concentration of an α-hydroxyl ketone based photoinitiator. The ambient temperature photocopolymerization was carried out by using a UV-Visible lamp with fixed low intensity of 0.4 mW cm^?2 for a period of 6 min. The residual monomer remained in the polymerization process were determined by using gas chromatography. The reactivity ratio values for the two monomers were calculated from the copolymer composition data by using Fineman-Ross, Kelen-Tudos, Extended Kelen-Tudos and Mao-Huglin methods. Individually, as well as the average of all the methods revealed that the monomer reactivity ratios of tetrahydrofurfuryl methacrylate were higher than isobornyl methacrylate. The dyad sequence distribution and dyad sequence lengths were calculated using the Igarashi and Pyun method and the sequence length distribution for tetrahydrofurfuryl methacrylate was observed to be higher with an increase in its feed content. This supports the reactivity ratio studies that a higher monomer reactivity ratio value for tetrahydrofurfuryl methacrylate was observed as compared to its comonomer. The thermal studies showed that the glass transition temperatures of the copolymers increased with an increase in isobornyl methacrylate content.     

Cationic surfmers with benzyl groups: Synthesis and copolymerization with acrylamide

A series of cationic surfmers with benzyl groups（QARBCs）with different R groups on the benzene ring were synthesized and characterized by IR,¹H-NMR,¹³C-NMR.The aggregation of QARBCs was studied by the steady-state fluorescence technique.It turned out that QARBCs had surface activity and their critical micelle concentration（CMC）values varied in the range of 10^-2—10^-3mol/L with slight increase with temperature.The copolymerization of acrylamide（M₁）and QARBCs（M₂）was studied below and above CMC,their reactivity ratios were determined by the Finemann-Ross method.It was found that below CMC,copolymerization took place in a homogeneous system and reactivity ratios of acrylamide and QARBCs were less than 1;while above CMC,reactivity ratios of QARBCs were greater than 1.The copolymerization mechanism of QARBC was observed to be similar to that of micellar polymerization.QARBCs tended to homopolymerization,which gave rise to micro-blocky sequences in the polymer backbone.The Q and e values of QARBCs were calculated according to the Alfrey-Price equation by using r_1（AM）and r_2（qarBC）.Samples of poly（AM-co-QARBC） were prepared above and below CMC and their hydrophobic associations were studied by the steady-state fluorescence spectra and 2D NOESY spectra,and their critical associating concentrations（CAC）were estimated.The results showed that samples of poly（AM-co-QARBC）prepared above CMC had stronger hydrophobic association in aqueous solution than those prepared below CMC.     

Solvent and kinetic penultimate unit effects in the copolymerization of acrylonitrile with itaconic acid

Copolymerization of acrylonitrile (AN) with itaconic acid (IA) in dimethylformamide (DMF) and DMF/water mixture was investigated at enhanced concentrations of the latter. Analysis of the copolymer composition revealed the existence of a marked penultimate unit effect with respect to radicals terminated in AN. The reactivity of IA was considerably less than that of AN, manifested as a negative reactivity ratio for the former. The r_IA values ranging from −0.28 to −0.50 and r_AN values ranging from 0.53 to 0.70, were obtained by Kelen-Tudo's (KT) and extended KT methods. The penultimate reactivity ratios were determined by both linear and non-linear methods. The values ranged from r₁=0.009 to 0.01, r₁^′=0.0015 to 0.0043, r₂=0.54 to 0.69 and r₂^′=0.9 to 1.03. The reactivity of AN radical towards IA decreased about twofold when the latter formed the penultimate group. The penultimate model explained an acceptable rational feed-copolymer composition profile for the whole composition range. Addition of water decreased the reactivity of IA slightly. IA caused a decrease in the apparent copolymerization rate in agreement with the observed trends in the reactivity ratios; presence of water caused a further decrease in the rate of polymerization. A statistical prediction of monomer sequences based on reactivity ratios implied that IA existed as a lone monomer unit between the long sequences of AN units.     

Synthesis of Graft Polymers by Copolymerization of Macromonomers. II. Copolymerization Kinetics of Styrene-and Methacrylate-Terminatedpoly(2-Acetoxyethyl Methacrylate) Macromonomers

Styrene-terminated poly(2-acetoxyethyl methacrylate) macromonomer (EBA), methacrylate-terminated poly(2-acetoxyethyl methacrylate) macromonomer (MPA), and methacrylate-terminated poly(methyl methacrylate) macromonomer (MPM) were synthesized and subjected to polymerization and copolymerization by a free-radical polymerization initiator (AIBN). EBA and MPA were homopolymerized at various concentrations. EBA exhibited higher reactivity than styrene. The reactivity of MPA, however, was almost equal to that of glycidyl methacrylate. Cumulative copolymer compositions were determined by GPC analysis of copolymerization products. The reactivity ratios estimated were r_a = 0.95 and r_b , = 0.90 for EBA macromonomer (a)-methyl methacrylate (b) copolymerization. These values were not consistent with literature values for the styrene-methyl methacrylate and p-methoxy-styrene-methyl methacrylate systems. The reactivity ratios estimated for MPA and 2-bromoethyl methacrylate were r_a - 0.95 and r_b , = 0.98; equal to the glycidyl methacrylate-2-bromoethyl methacrylate system. MPA or MPM was also copolymerized with styrene, and the reactivity ratios were r_a = 0.40, r_a = 0.60 and r_a = 0.39, r_a = 0.58, respectively. These estimates were in good agreement with the reactivity ratios for glycidyl methacrylate and styrene. Thus, no effect of molecular weight was observed for both copolymerization systems.