Segmented block copolymers of poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(ethylene terephthalate)

A new series of segmented copolymers were synthesized from poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) oligomers and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) by a two‐step solution polymerization reaction. PET oligomers were obtained by glycolysis depolymerization. Structural features were defined by infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The copolymer composition was calculated via ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The content of soft PEG segments was higher than that of hard PET segments. A single glass‐transition temperature was detected for all the synthesized segmented copolymers. This observation was found to be independent of the initial PET‐to‐PEG molar ratio. The molar masses of the copolymers were determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 4448–4457, 2004     

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) modified with aromatic bisester diamides: Thermal and oxygen barrier properties

The synthesis and properties of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) copolymers containing four bisester diamide structural units are reported. Two of the bisester diamides consist of three para‐substituted aromatic rings, and the other two consist of three meta‐substituted aromatic rings. The copolymers have been characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance, differential scanning calorimetry, and dilute solution viscometry. Three of the copolymers can be compression‐molded into amorphous films for oxygen barrier testing, and one of these three films can be oriented for additional barrier testing. The three amorphous films all have lower permeabilities than unoriented PET. However, this difference diminishes upon the orientation of the polymer films. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 1668–1681, 2004     

Conformational characteristics of poly(ethylene phthalate)s

The conformational characteristics, as embodied in the unperturbed mean‐square end‐to‐end distances (〈r²〉_o) and the characteristic ratios of the dimensions [C_n = 〈r²〉_o/(n〈l²〉] are calculated for the para, meta, and ortho isomers of poly(ethylene phthalate)s: poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), poly(ethylene isophthalate) (PEI), and poly(ethylene phthalate) (PEP), respectively. Although each of these isomeric and partially aromatic polyesters has identical permissible conformations available to their ethylene glycol fragments, their connections through the ester bonds to the phenyl rings are quite distinct. In addition, for the ortho isomer (PEP), the close spatial proximity of the ester groups bonded to the same phenyl ring results in an interdependence of their orientations with respect to each other and the phenyl ring to which they are attached, unlike the independent orientations of ester groups in the para and meta isomers (PET and PEI). Conformational energy calculations, dependent on the orientation of the ester groups in PEP, are used to characterize their rotational interdependence to modify the rotational isomeric state (RIS) conformational models for PET and PEI and thereby obtain an RIS model appropriate for PEP. This leads to calculated relative dimensions (〈r²〉_o) of 1.0:0.70:0.37 PET:PEI:PEP and characteristic ratios [C_n = 〈r²〉_o/(n〈l²〉)] of 4.13:4.67:2.49 PET:PEI:PEP. These results are discussed in an effort to obtain some understanding of the inherent static (or equilibrium) and dynamic flexibilities of the isomeric poly(ethylene phthalate)s. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 1254–1260, 2002     

Novel route for synthesizing hyperbranched polyamine

A novel route for the synthesis of hyperbranched polyamine containing imidazolidine rings was developed, proceeding by the step‐growth polymerization of acrolein with ethylene diamine. The reaction kinetics and polymerization mechanism were studied with NMR and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy. The influence of the reaction temperature and the concentration and feed ratio of the reactants on the structural characteristics of the obtained products was investigated. To obtain stable hyperbranched polyamines as analogues of hyperbranched poly(ethylene imine) or dendrimeric poly(propylene imine), sodium borohydride was used to reduce the synthesized hyperbranched polyamines to open the imidazolidine rings. The molecular weights, degrees of branching, and glass‐transition temperatures of the hyperbranched polyamines before and after reduction were compared. The polymerization behaviors of acrolein with other amines such as ethanol amine, propylene diamine, and 1,6‐hexane diamine were also investigated. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 699–708, 2007     

Synthesis and morphological characterization of poly(ϵ-caprolactone) and poly(2-methyloxazoline) substituted phenyl rings and phenylene oligomers

Poly(ϵ-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(2-methyloxazoline) (POx) substituted phenyl rings (macromonomers) and the corresponding substituted polyphenylene oligomers have been synthesized in various chemical structures. Macromonomers were synthesized by ring opening polymerization. Poly(phenylene) oligomers were then synthesized by cross-coupling of the macromonomers in Ni-catalyzed polycondensation reactions. The macromonomers and oligomers have been characterized by ¹H-NMR, IR, GPC, and DSC. The effect of side chain chemistry and architecture on the resulting morphology in thin films has been investigated by atomic force micro-scopy and wide angle X-ray scattering. Polyphenylene oligomers showed layered morphologies in thin films. The orientation of the layers depended on the chemistry of the side chains and the backbone architecture. Linear oligomers containing statistically distributed segments having POx or PCL side chains showed layers perpendicular to the underlying substrate. Attachment of polystyrene end block to PCL chain together with the meta-connectivity of the backbone resulted in layers parallel to the substrate. Our results also indicate that substitution of polymeric chains to phenyl rings can induce ordered structures of macromonomers. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 2091–2104, 2007     

Isolation and identification of cyclic oligomers of the poly(ethylene terephthalate)–poly(ethylene isophthalate) copolymer

New cyclic oligomers of the copolymer of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and poly(ethylene isophthalate) (PEI) were isolated and identified. A condensation polymerization was carried out at a high temperature, and the solid‐state polymerization that followed yielded the high molecular weight polymer. The oligomers were extracted from the high molecular weight PET–PEI copolymer and separated with preparative high performance liquid chromatography techniques. Their chemical structures and properties were analyzed and determined by ¹H NMR, differential scanning calorimetry, and mass spectroscopy. The oligomers observed at early retention times were a cyclic dimer and cyclic trimers and consisted of [GT]₃, [GI]₂, [GI]₃, [GT]₂[GI]₁, and [GT]₁[GI]₂. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 881–889, 2003     

Synthesis and sulfonation of poly(arylene ether)s containing tetraphenyl methane moieties

Novel poly(arylene ether)s with sulfonic acid containing pendent groups were successfully synthesized by the nucleophilic displacement of aromatic dihalides with bisphenols in an aprotic solvent in the presence of excess potassium carbonate followed by sulfonation with chlorosulfonic acid. The sulfonation took place only at the controlled positions on the phenyl rings due to the novel bisphenol structures designed. The sulfonic acid group containing polymers were very soluble in common organic solvents, such as dimethyl sulfoxide, N,N′‐dimethylacetamide, and dimethylformamide, but swelled only slightly in water. These sulfonic acid group containing polymers were readily cast into tough and smooth films from organic solvents. The synthesized polymers had high glass‐transition temperatures of 171.0–240.7 °C and high molecular weights of 15,600–33,000 Da. These films could potentially be used as proton‐exchange membranes for fuel cells. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 1779–1788, 2004     

Analysis of the 1030-cm−1 band of poly(ethylene terephthalate) fibers using polarized raman microscopy

Polarized Raman spectroscopy was used to analyze uniaxially oriented fibers of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fibers. The second-order and fourth-order Legendre polynomials of the orientation distribution function of the 1030-cm⁻¹ vibrational band were determined to be zero for samples of low-to-moderate orientation. Because this band was assigned to the gauche conformation of the ethylene glycol unit, the orientation of the gauche configuration of ethylene glycol units in PET for PET of low-to-moderate orientation was random. This was consistent with the assumptions used by Ward and coworkers. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 47–52, 2004     

Multiarm star nanocarriers containing a poly(ethylene imine) core and polylactide arms

Star polymers (SPs) containing a hyperbranched poly(ethylene imine) (PEI; number‐average molecular weight = 10,000) core and polylactide arms were synthesized via the ring‐opening polymerization of lactide. PEI was used as a multifunctional macroinitiator for the ring‐opening polymerization of lactide. Different lactide monomer/amino‐functional group (LA/NH_n; n = 1 or 2) ratios were used for preparing SPs with different molecular weights. SPs were able to encapsulate small guest molecules such as Rose Bengal; they also transported small, hydrophilic molecules from water to the organic phase. The transport capacity of all the nanocarriers depended on the LA/NH_n ratio used for synthesizing the SPs. Nanocarriers with a higher LA/NH_n ratio had higher transport capacities. The size of all the nanocarriers depended on the type of solvent. In chloroform, these nanoparticles had several sizes that were related to the self‐assembly of these nanocarriers, but in acetone, they were monodisperse, and their size was smaller than that in chloroform. Also, the transport of polar dyes from water to the chloroform phase was possible. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 5740–5749, 2006     

Strategies toward biocompatible artificial implants: Grafting of functionalized poly(ethylene glycol)s to poly(ethylene terephthalate) surfaces

Epoxide and aldehyde end‐functionalized poly(ethylene glycol)s (PEGs) (M_w = 400, 1000, 3400, 5000, and 20,000) were grafted to poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) film substrates that contained amine or alcohol groups. PET‐PAH and PET‐PEI were prepared by reacting poly(allylamine) (PAH) and polyethylenimine (PEI) with PET substrates, respectively; PET‐PVOH was prepared by the adsorption of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVOH) to PET substrates. Grafting was characterized and quantified by the increase of the intensity of the PEG carbon peak in the X‐ray photoelectron spectra. Grafting yield was optimized by controlling reaction parameters and was found to be substrate‐independent in general. Graft density consistently decreased as PEG chain length was increased. This is likely due to the higher steric requirement of higher molecular weight PEG molecules. Water contact angles of surfaces containing long PEG chains (3400, 5000, and 20,000) are much lower than those containing shorter PEG chains (400 and 1000). This indicates that longer PEG chains are more effective in rendering surfaces hydrophilic. Protein adsorption experiments were carried out on PET‐ and PEG‐modified derivatives using collagen, lysozyme, and albumin. After PEG grafting, the amount of protein adsorbed was reduced in all cases. Trends in surface requirements for protein resistance are: surfaces with longer PEG chains and higher chain density, especially the former, are more protein resistant; PEG grafted to surfaces containing branched or network polymers is not effective at covering the underlying substrate, and thus does not protect the entire surface from protein adsorption; and substrates containing surface charge are less protein‐resistant. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 5389–5400, 2004     

Synthesis and properties of amorphous blue‐light‐emitting polymers with high glass‐transition temperatures

A series of soluble poly(arylene ether)s containing the phenylphosphine oxide moiety were synthesized by the polymerization of substituted oligophenylene diols with bis(fluorophenyl)phenylphosphine oxide. These amorphous polyethers had well‐defined structures and showed blue photoluminescence combined with good thermal stability, especially when phenyl or ethoxy side groups were used. The glass‐transition temperatures increased when the size of the oligophenylene segment increased from three to five rings or when the length of the alkoxy substituents decreased. Polymers with glass‐transition temperatures up to 270 °C were obtained. The absorption and photoluminescent spectra shifted to longer wavelengths with an increase in the oligophenylene block. A redshift was also observed on photoluminescent spectra in the transition from solution to the solid state. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 39: 3168–3179, 2001     

Synthesis and ring‐opening polymerization of new monoalkyl‐substituted lactides

New monoalkyl‐substituted lactides were synthesized by reaction of α‐hydroxy acids with 2‐bromopropionyl bromide, and polymerized with various catalysts in the presence of benzyl alcohol by ring‐opening polymerization (ROP). The classic tin(II) 2‐ethylhexanoate (Sn(Oct)₂) catalyst was leading to polymers with narrow distribution and predictable molecular weights, in polymerizations in bulk or toluene at 100 °C. The polymerization rate was corresponding to the steric hindrance of the alkyl substituents, such as butyl, hexyl, benzyl, isopropyl, and dimethyl groups. A yield of 83% was obtained with the hexyl‐substituted lactide after 1 h of polymerization. Excellent conversions (97%) could be achieved by using the alternative catalyst 4‐(dimethylamino)pyridine (DMAP). This latter organic catalyst was most efficient in polymerizing the more steric‐hindered lactides with good molecular weight and polydispersity control, in comparison to the tin(II) 2‐ethylhexanoate and tin(II) trifluoromethane sulfonate [Sn(OTf)₂] catalysts. The efficiency of the DMAP catalyst and the variability of the monomer synthesis route for new alkyl‐substituted lactides allow to prepare and to envision a wide range of new functionalized polylactides for the elaboration of tailored materials. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 4379–4391, 2004     

Synthesis,characterization, and biological activity of [2‐oxo‐2‐(4‐acetyl) phenyl amino] ethylene methacrylate and its derivatives

A new type of methacrylate monomer, [2‐oxo‐2‐(4‐acetyl) phenyl amino] ethylene methacrylate (APEMA), was synthesized. The oxime, 2,4‐dinitrophenylhydrazone, and thiosemicarbazone derivatives of poly{[2‐oxo‐2‐(4‐acetyl) phenyl amino] ethylene methacrylate} [poly(APEMA)] were prepared with hydroxylamine hydrochloride, 2,4‐dinitrophenylhydrazine, and thiosemicarbazone hydrochloride, respectively. The radical homopolymerization of APEMA was performed at 65 °C in a 1,4‐dioxane solution with benzoyl peroxide as an initiator. The monomer and its homopolymer were characterized with Fourier transform infrared and NMR techniques. The thermal stabilities of poly(APEMA) and its derivatives were investigated with thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. The ultraviolet stability of the polymers were compared. The solubility and inherent viscosity of the polymers were also determined. The number‐average and weight‐average molecular weights and polydispersity index of the polymers were determined with gel permeation chromatography. The antibacterial and antifungal effects of the monomer and the polymer and its derivatives were also investigated on various bacteria and fungi. The activation energies of the thermal degradation of the polymers were calculated with the Ozawa method. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 3157–3169, 2004     

Development of an improved synthetic route to an AB phenylquinoxaline monomer

The primary objective of this research was the development of an efficient synthetic route for a previously prepared self‐polymerizable PPQ monomer mixture, 2‐(4‐hydroxyphenyl)‐3‐phenyl‐6‐fluoroquinoxaline and 3‐(4‐hydroxyphenyl)‐2‐phenyl‐6‐fluoroquinoxaline. Thus, the intermediate, 4‐hydroxybenzil, was synthesized in good yield, starting from phenol with phenylacetyl chloride, followed by oxidation. The other intermediate, 4‐fluoro‐1,2‐phenylenediamine, was also less costly synthesized, starting from 2,4‐difluoronitrobenzene with ammonium hydroxide, followed by reduction, giving excellent yield. The overall monomer yield was superior to previous reports. Another research objective involved preparation of various monomer mixtures that could be synthesized even less costly, and attempts on polymerization could generate the same structure of PPQ from an original monomer mixture. Thus, the monomer mixture that had switched functional groups from the original one, 2‐(4‐fluorophenyl)‐3‐phenyl‐6‐hydroxyquinoxaline and 3‐(4‐fluorophenyl)‐2‐phenyl‐6‐hydroxyquinoxaline, was prepared. Various monomers with different functional groups attached on the 6‐position of the quinoxaline ring, such as chloro‐ and nitro‐substituted monomers instead of fluoro‐substituted ones, were also prepared. Several attempts to build up high molecular weights were not successful. In the case of the switched monomer mixture, weaker nucleophility and less activation on the fluorine atom were to be the reason in the switched monomer. In the cases of chloro‐ and nitro‐substituted monomers, poorer leaving power and side reactions were to be the reasons. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 801–814, 2005     

Synthesis,characterization, thermal properties,and antimicrobial activity of 4‐chloro‐3‐methyl phenyl methacrylate/8‐quinolinyl methacrylate copolymers

4‐Chloro‐3‐methyl phenyl methacrylate (CMPM) and 8‐quinolinyl methacrylate (8‐QMA) were synthesized through the reaction of 4‐chloro‐3‐methyl phenol and 8‐hydroxy quinoline, respectively, with methacryloyl chloride. The homopolymers and copolymers were prepared by free‐radical polymerization with azobisisobutyronitrile as the initiator at 70 °C. Copolymers of CMPM and 8‐QMA of different compositions were prepared. The monomers were characterized with IR spectroscopy and ¹H NMR techniques. The copolymers were characterized with IR spectroscopy. UV spectroscopy was used to obtain the compositions of the copolymers. The monomer reactivity ratios were calculated with the Fineman–Ross method. The molecular weights and polydispersity values of the copolymers were determined with gel permeation chromatography. The thermal stability of the polymers was evaluated with thermogravimetric analysis under a nitrogen atmosphere. The homopolymers and copolymers were tested for their antimicrobial activity againstbacteria, fungi, and yeast. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 157–167, 2005     

Zeolite‐supported metallocene catalyst for ethylene/1‐hexene copolymerization

Commercial zeolite acid mordenite was thermally treated for use as a support for bis(n‐butyl‐cyclopentadienyl)zirconium dichloride [(n‐BuCp)₂ZrCl₂] for the further evaluation of ethylene/1‐hexene copolymerization. The polymerization time, temperature, and solvent, as well as the addition of tri(isobutyl)aluminum in the hexane medium, were evaluated. The catalytic activity and 1‐hexene content in the copolymer synthesized with the supported system were very near those obtained with the homogeneous precursor. A comonomer effect was observed for both systems. The polymerization rate profiles were obtained for ethylene polymerization, and the activation energy and monomer reactivity were calculated. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 3038–3048, 2004     

Block copolymers of telechelic poly(phenylene sulfide) and semiaromatic thermotropic liquid crystalline polyester segments

We report the synthesis and characterization of copolymers comprising poly(phenyl sulfide) (PPS) blocks and semiaromatic thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (TLCP) blocks. The copolymers, synthesized by melt-transesterification of dicarboxy-terminated poly(phenylene sulfide) with poly(ethylene terephthalate-co-oxybenzoate) (PET/OB), were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and polarized light optical microscopy (PLOM). The crystallizability and liquid crystalline properties of the copolymers are greatly influenced by the extent of interchange reactions, the mole percent of oxybenzoate with respect to the PET, the PPS : PET/OB weight ratio, and the reaction time. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 2707–2713, 1998     

Inclusion complex formation between α,γ‐cyclodextrins and organic–inorganic star‐shaped poly(ethylene glycol) from an octafunctional silsesquioxane core

A series of organic–inorganic star‐shaped poly(ethylene glycol)s from octafunctional silsesquioxane (POSS) cores were synthesized by allylation and hydrosilylation, and they were found to form crystalline inclusion complexes with α,γ‐cyclodextrins. The results from X‐ray diffraction, cross‐polarity/magic‐angle‐spinning ¹³C NMR, differential scanning calorimetry, and Fourier transform infrared suggested that a channel‐type structure was established in the inclusion complexes. The characterization results also revealed that the segments of poly(ethylene glycol) arms near the POSS cores were uncovered by the cyclodextrins, whereas the cyclodextrins were closely packed along the remaining portion of the poly(ethylene glycol) arms. Molecular dynamic simulation in a Dreiding force field with Cerius 2 software gave comparable results. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 1173–1180, 2004     

Synthesis of triblock and multiblock methacrylate polymers and self‐assembly of stimuli responsive triblock polymers

Multisegmented poly(methacrylate)s were synthesized using one pot reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer polymerization. Initially, a series of triblock copolymers were synthesized with different ratios of trimethylsilyl methacrylate, di(ethylene oxide) methacrylate, and oligo(ethylene oxide) methacrylate, and different total polymer molecular weights. Additionally, a polymer containing seven distinct blocks of methacrylic monomers was synthesized in one pot. For the triblock copolymers, the trimethylsilyl group was subsequently hydrolyzed, and the self‐assembly of the triblock copolymer was studied in water, under different pH and thermal conditions. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 2548–2555     

Synthesis and characterization of monosubstituted and disubstituted poly(3,4‐propylenedioxythiophene) derivatives with high electrochromic contrast in the visible region

Monosubstituted and disubstituted 3,4‐propylenedioxythiophenes were synthesized and polymerized by both chemical and electrochemical methods. All the monomers were characterized for their molecular structures, and the polymers were characterized for their electrochemical properties. The disubstituted derivatives showed higher contrast than the corresponding monoalkyl derivatives. The highest electrochromic contrast of 89% was exhibited by a dibenzyl derivative, but the derivative was insoluble. On the other hand, the electrochemically polymerized dihexyl‐ and didodecyl‐substituted poly(3,4‐propylenedioxythiophene)s exhibited 74 and 77% electrochromic contrast, respectively, and were soluble. The molecular weights of the chemically and electrochemically synthesized polymers were analyzed by gel permeation chromatography. The chemically synthesized polymers showed higher molecular weights. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 419–428, 2005