Preparation of macroporous functionalized polymer beads by a multistep polymerization and their application in zirconocene catalysts for ethylene polymerization

Macroporous functionalized polymer beads of poly(4‐vinylpyridine‐co‐1,4‐divinylbenzene) [P(VPy‐co‐DVB)] were prepared by a multistep polymerization, including a polystyrene (PS) shape template by emulsifier‐free emulsion polymerization, linear PS seeds by staged template suspension polymerization, and macroporous functionalized polymer beads of P(VPy‐co‐DVB) by multistep seeded polymerization. The polymer beads, having a cellular texture, were made of many small, spherical particles. The bead size was 10–50 μm, and the pore size was 0.1–1.5 μm. The polymer beads were used as supports for zirconocene catalysts in ethylene polymerization. They were very different from traditional polymer supports. The polymer beads could be exfoliated to yield many spherical particles dispersed in the resulting polyethylene particles during ethylene polymerization. The influence of the polymer beads on the catalytic behavior of the supported catalyst and morphology of the resulting polyethylene was investigated. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 873–880, 2003     

Polymerization of styrene with tetramethylthiuram disulfide as an initiator in the presence of 2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl‐1‐piperidinyloxy

The bulk polymerization of styrene was investigated with tetramethylthiuram disulfide (TMTD) as an initiator in the presence of 2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl‐1‐piperidinyloxy (TEMPO) at 123 °C. The polymerization proceeded in a controlled/living way; that is, the polymerization rate was first‐order with respect to the monomer concentration, and the molecular weight increased linearly with conversion. The molecular weights of the polymers obtained were close to the theoretical values, and the molecular weight distributions were relatively low (weight‐average molecular weight/number‐average molecular weight = 1.1–1.3). The rate of polymerization with TMTD as an initiator was faster than that with benzoyl peroxide, and the rate was independent of the initial concentration of TMTD in the presence of TEMPO. The obtained polystyrene was functionalized with ultraviolet‐light‐sensitive ? SC(S)N(CH₃)₂ groups, which was characterized with ¹H NMR spectroscopy. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 543–551, 2005     

Efficient introduction of aromatic vinyl group by incorporation of divinylbiphenyl,p‐divinylbenzene in syndiospecific styrene polymerization using aryloxo‐modified half‐titanocene catalysts

An efficient introduction of aromatic vinyl group into syndiotactic polystyrene has been achieved by incorporation of 3,3′‐divinylbiphenyl, p‐divinylbenzene (DVB) in syndiospecific styrene polymerization using aryloxo‐modified half‐titanocenes, Cp′TiCl₂(O‐2,6‐ⁱPr₂C₆H₃) (Cp′ = ^tBuC₅H₄, 1,2,4‐Me₃C₅H₂), in the presence of MAO. The resultant polymers possessed high molecular weights with uniform molecular weight distributions, and the DVB contents could be varied by the initial feed molar ratios (6–23 mol %) without decrease in the M_n values. The syndiotactic stereo‐regularity and presence of the vinyl groups were confirmed by NMR spectra. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 1902–1907     

Single‐electron transfer‐living radical copolymerization of butyl methacrylate and divinylbenzene for preparation of oil‐absorbing gel

Crosslinking copolymerization of butyl methacrylate with a small amount of divinylbenzene (DVB) was carried out using single‐electron transfer‐living radical polymerization initiated with carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) and catalyzed by Cu(0)/N‐ligand in N,N‐dimethylformamide to produce a highly oil‐absorbing gel. The polymerization, gelation process, and oil‐absorbing properties were studied in detail. Analysis of monomer conversion with reaction time showed that the polymerization followed first‐order kinetics for both linear and crosslinking polymerization before gelation. Higher levels of DVB led to earlier gelation and the influence of N‐ligand on gelation was also significant. Under optimal conditions, oil absorption of the prepared gel to chloroform could reach 42.1 g·g^?1. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 3233–3239     

Ring‐opening polymerization of 1,4‐dioxan‐2‐one initiated by lanthanum isopropoxide in bulk

Lanthanum isopropoxide (La(OiPr)₃) has been synthesized and employed for ring‐opening polymerization of 1,4‐dioxan‐2‐one in bulk as a single‐component initiator. The influences of reaction conditions such as initiator concentration, reaction time, and reaction temperature on the polymerization were investigated. The kinetics indicated that the polymerization is first‐order with respect to the monomer concentration. The Mechanistic investigations according to ¹H NMR spectrum analysis demonstrated that the polymerization of PDO proceeded through a coordination‐insertion mechanism with a rupture of the acyl‐oxygen bond of the monomer rather than the alkyl‐oxygen bond cleavage. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 5214–5222, 2008     

One‐step synthesis of block‐graft copolymers via simultaneous reversible‐addition fragmentation chain transfer and ring‐opening polymerization using a novel macroinitiator

One‐step synthesis of block‐graft copolymers by reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) and ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) by using a novel initiator was reported. Block‐graft copolymers were synthesized in one‐step by simultaneous RAFT polymerization of n‐butylmethacrylate (nBMA) and ROP of ε‐caprolacton (CL) in the presence of a novel macroinitiator (RAFT‐ROP agent). For this purpose, first epichlorohydrin (EPCH) was polymerized by using H₂SO₄ via cationic ring‐opening mechanism. And then a novel RAFT‐ROP agent was synthesized by the reaction of potassium ethyl xanthogenate and polyepichlorohydrin (poly‐EPCH). By using the RAFT‐ROP agent, poly[CL‐b‐EPCH‐b‐CL‐(g‐nBMA)] block‐graft copolymers were synthesized. The principal parameters such as monomer concentration, initiator concentration, and polymerization time that affect the one‐step polymerization reaction were evaluated. The block lengths of the block‐graft copolymers were calculated by using ¹H‐nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) spectrum. The block length could be adjusted by varying the monomer and initiator concentrations. The characterization of the products was achieved using ¹H NMR, Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy, gel‐permeation chromatography, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, elemental analysis, and fractional precipitation (γ) techniques. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 2651–2659     

BIAN‐Fe(η6‐C6H6): Synthesis,characterization, and l‐lactide polymerization

The α‐diimine‐ligated Fe‐complex, BIAN‐Fe(C₆H₆) , was synthesized and evaluated for the polymerization of l ‐lactide. Characterization of BIAN‐Fe(C₆H₆) reveals that it is redox non‐innocent and suggests that it is an Fe(I) species bearing a radical‐anionic ligand. We will demonstrate that BIAN‐Fe(C₆H₆) is active for the ring‐opening polymerization of l ‐lactide, and that polymer is produced with, or without, the use of an added external initiator. Interestingly, very high molecular weight polymers are produced in the absence of external initiator whereas polymer molecular weights that agree with theoretical calculations are produced in the presence of external initiator. To the best of our knowledge, BIAN‐Fe(C₆H₆) is the first Fe‐based α‐diimine catalyst reported to be active for the polymerization of l ‐lactide. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55, 2824–2830     

Effect of excess halide on the palladium‐catalyzed insertion‐triggered radical copolymerization of methyl acrylate and 1‐hexene

[Pd₂(μ‐Cl)₂(C₆F₅)₂(tht)₂] ( 1 ) is a very efficient initiator of the radical polymerization of methyl acrylate, but it is not active in the polymerization of methyl methacrylate or in the copolymerization with 1‐hexene. The addition of an excess of NBu₄Cl to solutions of [Pd₂(μ‐Cl)₂(C₆F₅)₂(tht)₂] ( 1 ) provides an initiator system that copolymerizes methyl acrylate and 1‐hexene by an insertion‐triggered radical mechanism. Random copolymers are obtained with 11% incorporation of 1‐hexene in moderate yields (about 35%). Studies of the decomposition products obtained after the first insertion of methyl acrylate in the Pd? C₆F₅ bond of 1 show that the addition of excess halide in the presence of monomer favors the homolytic cleavage of the Pd? C bond, and the generation of the radicals that are active species in the polymerization, versus alternative evolution pathways. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 5682–5691, 2006     

Preparation of a copolymer of methyl methacrylate and 2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate with pendant 4‐benzyloxy‐2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl‐1‐piperidinyloxy and its initiation of the graft polymerization of styrene by a controlled radical mechanism

The macroinitiator of a copolymer (PMD_BTM) of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and 2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DAMA) with 4‐benzyloxy‐2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl‐1‐piperidinyloxy (BTEMPO) pendant groups was prepared by the photochemical reaction of tertiary amine groups of the copolymer with benzophenone in the presence of BTEMPO. The radical copolymerization of MMA and DAMA was carried out first with azo‐bis‐isobutyronitrile (AIBN) as an initiator; then, the dimethylamine groups of the copolymer constituted a charge‐transfer complex with benzophenone under UV irradiation, and the methylene of ternary amine and diphenyl methanol radicals were produced. The former was capped by BTEMPO, and the nitroxide (BTEMPO) was attached to the polymeric backbone. The amount of pendant BTEMPO on PMD_BTM was measured by ¹H NMR. PMD_BTM initiated the graft polymerization of styrene via a controlled radical mechanism, and the molecular weight of the PMD‐g‐polystyrene increased with the polymerization time. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 604–612, 2001     

Polar,functionalized diene‐based material. III. Free‐radical polymerization of 2‐[(N,N‐dialkylamino)methyl]‐1,3‐butadienes

The bulk free‐radical polymerization of 2‐[(N,N‐dialkylamino)methyl]‐1,3‐butadiene with methyl, ethyl, and n‐propyl substituents was studied. The monomers were synthesized via substitution reactions of 2‐bromomethyl‐1,3‐butadiene with the corresponding dialkylamines. For each monomer the effects of the polymerization initiator, initiator concentration, and reaction temperature on the final polymer structure, molecular weight, and glass‐transition temperature (T_g) were examined. Using 2,2′‐azobisisobutyronitrile as the initiator at 75 °C, the resulting polymers displayed a majority of 1,4 microstructures. As the temperature was increased to 100 and 125 °C using t‐butylperacetate and t‐butylhydroperoxide, the percentage of the 3,4 microstructure increased. Differential scanning calorimetry indicated that all of the T_g values were lower than room temperature. The T_g values were higher when the majority of the polymer structure was 1,4 and decreased as the percentage of the 3,4 microstructure increased. The Diels–Alder side products found in the polymer samples were characterized using NMR and gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry methods. The polymerization temperature and initiator concentration were identified as the key factors that influenced the Diels–Alder dimer yield. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 4070–4080, 2000     

Matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectroscopic analysis of telechelic polythiourethanes obtained by the cationic ring‐opening polymerization of six‐membered cyclic thiourethane

A matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight (MALDI‐TOF) mass spectroscopy analysis of polythiourethanes obtained by the cationic ring‐opening polymerization of a six‐membered cyclic thiourethane [3‐benzyltetrahydro‐1,3‐oxazine‐2‐thione (BTOT)] is described. A MALDI‐TOF mass spectrum of a polymer obtained by the polymerization of BTOT with boron trifluoride etherate (BF₃OEt₂) as the initiator in nitrobenzene at 50 °C for 24 h followed by an end‐capping reaction with diethyldithiocarbamic acid diethylammonium salt showed a series of well‐resolved signals that were assignable to polythiourethanes possessing an amino group at the initiating end and a diethyldithiocarbamate group at the terminating end. In comparison with the MALDI‐TOF mass spectra of polymers obtained by polymerization with trifluoromethanesulfonic acid or methyl trifluoromethanesulfonate, the plausible initiating species in the polymerization with BF₃OEt₂ was estimated to be a proton, which successively eliminated carbonyl sulfide to produce a secondary amine group at the initiating end. The secondary amine group in the obtained telechelic polymer was converted to a tertiary amine group by a reaction with benzyl bromide in the presence of triethylamine, and this was confirmed by MALDI‐TOF mass spectroscopy. Furthermore, a telechelic polymer with a pyrrole end group was successfully synthesized by the end‐capping reaction of the growing species in the polymerization of BTOT with sodium 1‐pyrrolecarbodithioate. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 4281–4289, 2006     

Tetramethylguanidino‐tris(2‐aminoethyl)amine: A novel ligand for copper‐based atom transfer radical polymerization

With CuBr/tetramethylguanidino‐tris(2‐aminoethyl)amine (TMG₃‐TREN) as the catalyst, the atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of methyl methacrylate, n‐butyl acrylate, styrene, and acrylonitrile was conducted. The catalyst concentration of 0.5 equiv with respect to the initiator was enough to prepare well‐defined poly(methyl methacrylate) in bulk from methyl methacrylate monomer. For ATRP of n‐butyl acrylate, the catalyst behaved in a manner similar to that reported for CuBr/tris[2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl]amine. A minimum of 0.05 equiv of the catalyst with respect to the initiator was required to synthesize the homopolymer of the desired molecular weight and low polydispersity at the ambient temperature. In the case of styrene, ATRP with this catalyst occurred only when a 1:1 catalyst/initiator ratio was used in the presence of Cu(0) in ethylene carbonate. The polymerization of acrylonitrile with CuBr/TMG₃‐TREN was conducted successfully with a catalyst concentration of 50% with respect to the initiator in ethylene carbonate. End‐group analysis for the determination of the high degree of functionality of the homopolymers synthesized by the new catalyst was determined by NMR spectroscopy. The isotactic parameter calculated for each system indicated that the homopolymers were predominantly syndiotactic, signifying that the tacticity remained the same, as already reported for ATRP. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 5906–5922, 2005     

Synthesis of refractive star‐shaped polysulfide by anionic polymerization of phenoxy propylene sulfide using an initiating system consisting of trifunctional thiol derived from five‐membered cyclic dithiocarbonate and amine

Star‐shaped poly(phenoxy propylene sulfide) [poly (PPS)] were synthesized by anionic polymerization using a trifunctional initiator ( I ₁) derived from a trifunctional five‐membered cyclic dithiocarbonate and benzyl amine. Conditions for the anionic polymerization of PPS were optimized to obtain polymers with desired M_ns and narrow M_w/M_ns. The best catalyst and solvent were DBU and DMF, respectively. The star‐shaped structure of the resulting star poly(PPS) was supported by SEC analysis. The refractive indexes (n_D) of the star poly (PPS) were relatively high (>1.64). © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 525–531, 2010     

Single‐electron‐transfer/degenerative‐chain‐transfer mediated living radical polymerization of vinyl chloride catalyzed by thiourea dioxide/octyl viologen in water/tetrahydrofuran at 25 °C

The single‐electron‐transfer/degenerative‐chain‐transfer mediated living radical polymerization (SET–DTLRP) of vinyl chloride (VC) in H₂O/tetrahydrofuran at 25 °C catalyzed by thiourea dioxide [(NH₂)₂C?SO₂] is reported. This polymerization occurs only in the presence of a basic sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) buffer and the electron‐transfer cocatalyst octyl viologen. The resulting poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) has a number‐average molecular weight of 1500–7000 and a weight‐average molecular weight/number‐average molecular weight ratio of 1.5. This PVC does not contain detectable amounts of structural defects and has both active chloroiodomethyl and inactive chloromethyl chain ends. Because of possible side reactions caused by the primary sulfoxylate anion (SO), the catalytic activity of (NH₂)₂C?SO₂ in the SET–DTLRP of VC is lower than that of the single‐electron‐transfer agent sodium dithionite. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 287–295, 2005     

Controlled ring‐opening polymerization of lactide by bis‐sulfonamide/amine associations: Cooperative hydrogen‐bonding catalysis

The bis‐sulfonamide m‐C₆H₄(SO₂NHPh)₂ efficiently promotes the ring‐opening polymerization of lactide when combined with tertiary amines, such as N,N‐dimethylaminopyridine. Polylactides of controlled molecular weights (M_n up to 17,700 g mol^?1) and very narrow molecular weight distributions (M_w/M_n < 1.11) are obtained under mild conditions and in a living fashion. The reaction takes place through a bifunctional mechanism involving activation of both the alcohol and the monomer. Modulation of the sulfonamide component supports cooperative dual hydrogen‐bonding of lactide involving the two (SO₂NHAr) moieties. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 959–965, 2010     

Catalytic synthesis of styryl‐capped isotactic polypropylenes

Bis‐styrenic molecules, 1,4‐divinylbenzene (DVB) and 1,2‐bis(4‐vinylphenyl)ethane (BVPE), were successfully combined with hydrogen (H₂) to form consecutive chain transfer complexes in propylene polymerization mediated by an isospecific metallocene catalyst (i.e., rac‐dimethylsilylbis(2‐methyl‐4‐phenylindenyl)zirconium dichloride, I ) activated with methylaluminoxane (MAO), rendering a catalytic access to styryl‐capped isotactic polypropylenes (i‐PP). The chain transfer reaction took place in a unique way where prior to the ultimate chain transfer DVB/H₂ or BVPE/H₂ caused a copolymerization‐like reaction leading to the formation of main chain benzene rings. A preemptive polymer chain reinsertion was deduced after the consecutive actions of DVB/H₂ or BVPE/H₂, which gave the styryl‐terminated polymer chain alongside a metal‐hydride active species. It was confirmed that the chain reinsertion occurred in a regio‐irregular 1,2‐fashion, which contrasted with a normal 2,1‐insertion of styrene monomer and ensured subsequent continuous propylene insertions, directing the polymerization to repeated DVB or BVPE incorporations inside polymer chain. Only as a competitive reaction, the insertion of propylene into metal‐hydride site broke the chain propagation resumption process while completed the chain transfer process by releasing the styryl‐terminated polymer chain. BVPE was found with much higher chain transfer efficiency than DVB, which was attributed to its non‐conjugated structure with much divided styrene moieties resulting in higher polymerization reactivity but lower chain reinsertion tendency. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 3709–3713, 2010     

Facile synthesis of controlled‐structure primary amine‐based methacrylamide polymers via the reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer process

We report here a novel direct method for the syntheses of primary aminoalkyl methacrylamides that requires mild reagents and no protecting group chemistry. The reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer polymerization (RAFT) of the aminoalkyl methacrylamide revealed to be highly efficient with 4‐cyanopentanoic acid dithiobenzoate (CTP) as chain transfer agent and 4,4′‐azobis(4‐cyanovaleric acid) (ACVA) as initiator. Cationic amino‐based homopolymers of reasonably narrow polydispersities (M_w/M_n < 1.30) and predetermined molecular weights were obtained without recourse to any protecting group chemistry. A range of block and random copolymers were also synthesized via the RAFT process. The homopolymers and copolymers were characterized by aqueous conventional and triple detection gel permeation chromatography systems. Furthermore, the primary amine‐based methacrylamide monomers and polymers revealed to be highly stable both with the primary amino group in the protonated and deprotonated form. We have also demonstrated that stabilized gold nanoparticles can be generated with the RAFT‐synthesized amine‐based polymers via a photochemical process. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 4984–4996, 2008     

Synthesis and characterization of well‐defined poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate‐co‐styrene)‐graft‐poly(ε‐caprolactone) by sequential controlled polymerization

A new graft copolymer, poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate‐co‐styrene) ‐graft‐poly(?‐caprolactone), was prepared by combination of reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer polymerization (RAFT) with coordination‐insertion ring‐opening polymerization (ROP). The copolymerization of styrene (St) and 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) was carried out at 60 °C in the presence of 2‐phenylprop‐2‐yl dithiobenzoate (PPDTB) using AIBN as initiator. The molecular weight of poly (2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate‐co‐styrene) [poly(HEMA‐co‐St)] increased with the monomer conversion, and the molecular weight distribution was in the range of 1.09 ～ 1.39. The ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of ?‐caprolactone was then initiated by the hydroxyl groups of the poly(HEMA‐co‐St) precursors in the presence of stannous octoate (Sn(Oct)₂). GPC and ¹H‐NMR data demonstrated the polymerization courses are under control, and nearly all hydroxyl groups took part in the initiation. The efficiency of grafting was very high. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 5523–5529, 2004     

Star‐branched polystyrenes by nitroxide living free‐radical polymerization

Star‐branched polystyrenes, with polydispersity indices of 1.15–1.56 and 4–644 equal arms, were synthesized by the reaction of 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidin‐1‐yloxy (TEMPO)‐capped polystyrene (PS‐T) with divinylbenzene (DVB). The characterization of PS‐T and the final star polymers was carried out by size exclusion chromatography, low‐angle laser light scattering, and viscometry. The degree of branching of the star polymers depended on the DVB/PS‐T ratio and the PS‐T molecular weight. An asymmetric (or miktoarm) star homopolymer of the PS_nPS′_n type was made by the reaction of the PS_n symmetric star, which had n TEMPO molecules on its nucleus and consisted of a multifunctional initiator, with extra styrene. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 320–325, 2001     

Crown‐like macrocycle zinc complex derived from β‐diketone ligand for the polymerization of rac‐lactide

Enolic Schiff base zinc (II) complex 1 was synthesized. XRD revealed 1 was a novel crown‐like macrocycle structure consisted of hexanuclear units of (LZnEt)₆ via the coordination chelation between the Zn atom and adjacent amine nitrogen atom. Further reaction of 1 with one equivalent 2‐propanol at RT produced Zn‐alkoxide 2 by in situ alcoholysis. Complex 2 was used as an initiator to polymerize rac‐lactide in a controlled manner to give heterotactic enriched polylactide. Factors that influenced the polymerization such as the polymerization time and the temperature as well as the monomer concentration were discussed in detail in this paper. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 643–649, 2008