Synthesis and polymerization of cyano-substituted monomers derived from 4-amino-α-methyl-β,β′-dicyanostyrene

A novel class of polymer precursors of the general formula, where A is an aromatic structure bearing amide or imide linkages, were synthesized. More particularly, 4-aminoacetophenone was condensed with malononitrile to afford 4-amino-α-methyl-β,β′-dicyanostyrene ( 1 ). The condensation of the latter with half molar amount of terephthaloyl dichloride, pyromellitic dianhydride, or benzophenone tetracarboxylic dianhydride yielded the polymer precursors. In addition, compound 1 was condensed with an equimolar amount of maleic anhydride to afford the corresponding maleimide. The monomers were characterized by elemental analyses, FT-IR, ¹H-NMR, and DTA. Crosslinked resins were obtained upon curing the monomers at 300°C for 72 h. They were stable up to 381-422°C in N₂ or air and afforded anaerobic char yields of 64-68% at 800°C. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis and Characterization of α,ω‐Heterofunctional Poly(ethylene oxide) Macromonomers

A novel α,ω‐heterofunctional poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) macromonomer possessing methacryloyl and thienyl end groups was prepared by ring‐opening polymerization of ethylene oxide initiated by potassium thienylethoxide and termination of the living PEO ends with methacryloyl chloride. Incorporation of methacryloyl and thienyl groups was confirmed by free‐radical and oxidative polymerization processes, respectively, and by means of ¹H NMR analysis.

     

Highly Fluorescent Conjugated Copolymers Containing Dithieno[3,2‐b:2′,3′‐d]pyrrole

Three copolymers that incorporate dithieno[3,2‐b:2′,3′‐d]pyrrole with fluorene, carbazole, or pyridine have been prepared by Suzuki reaction and characterized by NMR spectroscopy and GPC. A new homopolymer of dithieno[3,2‐b:2′,3′‐d]pyrrole was also synthesized for the comparison of their structure–property relationships. Their thermal, optical, and electrochemical properties have been investigated. All the polymers exhibit good thermal stability with decomposition temperatures around 400 °C. The fluorescence quantum efficiencies of all these polymers in solution are in the range of 33.5–55.5%. The copolymers also show high film fluorescence quantum efficiencies of about 20% while the fluorescence of the homopolymer film is almost quenched.

     

Novel Anti‐Microbial Host‐Guest Complexes Based on Cationic β‐Cyclodextrin Polymers and Triclosan/Butylparaben

The preparation of novel cationic β‐cyclodextrin polymers (CPβCDs) and its complexes with butylparaben and triclosan were reported in this paper. FT‐IR and two‐dimensional (2D) ¹H–¹H gradient correlated spectroscopy (gCOSY) NMR spectra confirmed that the antibiotics could be included inside the lipophilic cavities of CPβCDs. The water solubility of the antibiotics was improved significantly after inclusion with CPβCDs. The results also suggest that it was easier for butylparaben, which had relatively small molecular size, to form the complexes with CPβCDs than triclosan. Due to the targeting effect after the inclusion with cationic CPβCDs, the anti‐microbial activity of butylparaben was also enhanced substantially. However, similar improvement was not obvious for triclosan.

     

Preparation of Highly Transparent and Thermally Stable Films of α‐Cyclodextrin/Polymer Inclusion Complexes

Films of an α‐cyclodextrin/poly(ε‐caprolactone) inclusion complex have been successfully prepared and show high transparency and heat resistance in comparison to the pure polymer film. The physical properties, such as transparency, mechanical properties, and thermal stability, of the α‐CD‐PCL‐IC films are found to depend on the α‐cyclodextrin‐to‐polymer stoichiometry.

     

Synthesis and Characterization of β‐Cyclodextrin Based Functional Monomers and its Copolymers with N‐isopropylacrylamide

Two novel monovinyl β‐cyclodextrin (β‐CD) monomers are synthesized. Their chemical compositions are characterized by means of element analysis, NMR and FT‐IR spectroscopy. The results show that the synthesis techniques used are convenient and efficient. Using N‐isopropylacrylamide as a comonomer, two novel linear copolymers can also be synthesized.

Synthesis route of monovinyl β‐CD monomers.     

Investigation of Cationic Polymerization of β‐Pinene Using Calorimetric Measurements

An experimental investigation of the kinetics of cationic polymerization of β‐pinene was performed using two different initiator systems under two different operating conditions (shot additions of initiator, and continuous feeding of monomer). The experiments were done using calorimetric measurements under isoperibolic conditions. The heat of polymerization of β‐pinene was found to be ?30.6 kcal · mol^?1. A simple kinetic model was tentatively proposed, and the model fit reasonably well to the different experimental runs. Different values of the fitting parameters were obtained for runs carried out under different conditions, which can probably be ascribed to the presence of adventitious impurities in the commercial‐grade monomer used.

     

Structure and Bonding of the Hexameric Platinum(II) Dichloride,Pt6Cl12 (β‐PtCl2)

The crystal structure of Pt₆Cl₁₂ (β‐PtCl₂) was redetermined ( a_h = 13.126Å, c_h = 8.666Å, Z = 3; a_rh = 8.110Å, α = 108.04°; 367 hkl, R = 0.032). As has been shown earlier, the structure is in principle a hierarchical variant of the cubic structure type of tungsten (bcc), which atoms are replaced by the hexameric Pt₆Cl₁₂ molecules. Due to the 60° rotation of the cuboctahedral clusters about one of the trigonal axes, the symmetry is reduced from to ( ). The molecule Pt₆Cl₁₂ shows the (trigonally elongated) structure of the classic M₆X₁₂ cluster compounds with (distorted) square‐planar PtCl₄ fragments, however without metal‐metal bonds. The Pt atoms are shifted outside the Cl₁₂ cuboctahedron by Δ = +0.046Å ( (Pt—Cl) = 2.315Å; (Pt—Pt) = 3.339Å). The scalar relativistic DFT calculations results in the full symmetry for the optimized structure of the isolated molecule with d(Pt—Cl) = 2.381Å, d(Pt—Pt) = 3.468Å and Δ = +0.072Å. The electron distribution of the Pt‐Pt antibonding HOMO exhibits an outwards‐directed asymmetry perpendicular to the PtCl₄ fragments, that plays the decisive role for the cluster packing in the crystal. A comparative study of the Electron Localization Function with the hypothetical trans‐(Nb₂Zr₄)Cl₁₂ molecule shows the distinct differences between Pt₆Cl₁₂ and clusters with metal‐metal bonding. Due to the characteristic electronic structure, the crystal structure of Pt₆Cl₁₂ in space group is an optimal one, which results from comparison with rhombohedral Zr₆I₁₂ and a cubic bcc arrangement.     

Synthesis of β,γ‐Unsaturated Acids from Allenes and Carbon Dioxide

Hidden talent : Often perceived to be too thermodynamically and kinetically inert to be a useful chemical feedstock, carbon dioxide adds to allenes under exceptionally mild reductive conditions in the presence of a palladium pincer complex to give β,γ‐unsaturated carboxylic acids (see scheme). This transformation is discussed in the context of the requirements for CO₂ fixation. DMF=N,N‐dimethylformamide, Tf=trifluoromethanesulfonyl.

     

Darstellung,Kristallstrukturen und Schwingungsspektren von [(Mo6X)Y]2–; Xi = Cl,Br; Ya = NO3, NO2

Synthesis, Crystal Structures, and Vibrational Spectra of [(Mo₆X)Y]^2–; Xⁱ = Cl, Br; Y^a = NO₃, NO₂ By treatment of [(Mo₆X)Y]^2–; Xⁱ = Y^a = Cl, Br with AgNO₃ or AgNO₂ by strictly exclusion of oxygene in acetone the hexanitrato and hexanitrito cluster anions [(Mo₆X)Y]^2–, Y^a = NO₂, NO₃ are formed. X-ray structure determinations of (Ph₄As)₂[(Mo₆Cl)(NO₃)] · 2 Me₂CO ( 1 ) (monoclinic, space group P2₁/n, a = 12.696(3), b = 21.526(1), c = 14.275(5) Å, β = 115.02(2)°, Z = 2), (n-Bu₄N)₂[(Mo₆Br)(NO₃)] · 2 CH₂Cl₂ ( 2 ) (monoclinic, space group P2₁/n, a = 14.390(5), b = 11.216(5), c = 21.179(5)Å, β = 96.475(5)°, Z = 2) and (Ph₄P)₂[(Mo₆Cl)(NO₂)] (3) (monoclinic, space group P2₁/n, a = 11.823(5), b = 13.415(5), c = 19.286(5) Å, β = 105.090(5)°, Z = 2) reveal the coordination of the ligands via O atoms with (Mo–O) bond lengths of 2.11–2.13 Å, and (MoON) angles of 122–131°. The vibrational spectra of the nitrato compounds show the typical innerligand vibrations ν_as(NO₂) (∼ 1500), ν_s(NO₂) (∼ 1270) and ν(NO) (∼ 980 cm^–1). The stretching vibrations ν(N=O) at 1460–1490 cm^–1 and ν(N–O) in the range of 950–1000 cm^–1 are characteristic for nitrito ligands coordinated via O atoms.     

Effects of Temperature and Solvent on the Energy Transfer and β‐Phase Formation in the Iridium(III) Complex‐Containing Polyfluorene in Solutions and as Suspended Nano‐Particles

The effects of temperature and solvent on the β‐phase formation and energy transfer in an Ir(III) complex‐containing polyfluorene were investigated. Efficient energy transfer from polyfluorenes host to Ir complexes guest can be realized at low temperature. The formation of β‐phase was observed both in THF solution at low temperature and as suspended nano‐particles at room temperature. In addition, phosphorescent polymer nanoparticles were prepared successfully and exhibited efficient phosphorescent emission.

     

Addition‐Fragmentation Chain Transfer Involving Dimers of α‐Methylvinyl Monomers Studied by ESR Spectroscopy: Competition between Fragmentation and Bimolecular Termination

Detection of the adduct radical by ESR spectroscopy and after‐effect ESR measurements of the adduct radical concentrations in the photosensitized polymerization of styrene (St) in the presence of dimers of α‐methylstyrene (MSD) and methyl methacrylate have revealed that the dominant mechanism of adduct radical loss changes from bimolecular termination to fragmentation as the temperature is increased beyond 90 °C for St/MSD.

     

Supramolecular Assembly of Gold Nanoparticles Mediated by Polypseudorotaxane with Thiolated β‐Cyclodextrin

Summary: A water‐soluble gold nanoparticle aggregate 2 was prepared by chloroauric acid and a polypseudorotaxane 1 of mono‐6‐thio‐β‐cyclodextrin with poly(propylene glycol) bis(2‐aminopropyl ether) ( ≈ 2 000) in the presence of sodium borohydride in N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF) solution. The investigative results indicated that the gold nanoparticle aggregate 2 might act as an efficient DNA‐cleavage reagent.

A typical TEM image of gold nanoparticle aggregate 2 .     

pH‐Responsive PEG‐Poly(β‐amino ester) Block Copolymer Micelles with a Sharp Transition

Summary: A pH‐sensitive block copolymer is synthesized by step polymerization and its pH‐sensitive micellization‐demicellization behavior is studied. This polymer has a hydrophilic MPEG (shell) and hydrophobic but pH‐sensitive poly(β‐amino ester) (core), which can form a self‐assembled micelle. As confirmed by fluorescence spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering (DLS), this polymer shows a sharp pH‐sensitive micellization‐demicellization behavior. It is confirmed that the pH sensitivity is affected by the molecular weight ratio between the MPEG and poly(β‐amino ester).

Plots of the intensity ratio I₃₃₇/I₃₃₄ (from pyrene excitation spectra): a) vs. pH for copolymer samples and b) vs. log (concentration) for M1.     

Construction of Large‐Scale Highly Ordered Macroporous Monoliths of π‐Conjugated Polymers

Large scale of well‐ordered macroporous π‐conjugated polymer monoliths have been successfully prepared through a new approach using micrometer‐sized naphthalene crystals as templates. The macroporous monoliths of poly(p‐phenylenevinylene) (PPV) and poly(p‐phenyleneethynylene) (PPE) grew along the unidirectional freezing direction inside the template naphthalene crystals which lead to the formation of controlling morphologies and homogeneous diameters. The polymer monoliths show straight and lamella macroporous structures. The diameters of pores and the thickness of pore walls can be controlled by tuning the freezing temperature.

     

Synthesis and Ring Opening Polymerization of a New Functional Lactone, α‐Iodo‐ε‐caprolactone: A Novel Route to Functionalized Aliphatic Polyesters

A new functional lactone, α‐iodo‐ε‐caprolactone (αIεCL), was synthesized from ε‐caprolactone by anionic activation using a non‐nucleophilic strong base (lithium diisopropylamide) followed by an electrophilic substitution with iodine chloride. Ring‐opening (co)polymerizations of the resulting monomer with ε‐caprolactone were carried out using tin 2‐ethylhexanoate as a catalyst in toluene at 100 °C. Homopolymerization of αIεCL was achieved, and poly(αIεCL) was fully characterized by SEC, ¹H NMR and elemental analysis. Random copolymerizations of αIεCL with εCL were controlled with experimental molecular weights close to the theoretical values, narrow molecular weight distributions and a good agreement between experimental and theoretical molar compositions of αIεCL.

     

A Novel Strategy for the Preparation of Reactively Compatibilized Polymer Blends with Oligomers Containing α‐Methyl Styrene Units

A novel strategy to prepare reactively compatibilized polymer blends is reported. An oligomer that consists of AMS (α‐methyl styrene) and GMA (glycidyl methacrylate) is initially synthesized. When this oligomer is melt blended with poly(propylene) (PP), the GMA units in the oligomer are successfully grafted onto the PP chain, which is proven by measuring the FT‐IR spectrum of the blended PP. When the oligomer is added to a blend of PP/Ny66, an in‐situ compatibilization occurs, which leads to an increase in torque values during blending, a decrease in crystallinity degree of Ny66, and is observed by SEM images of the resulting blends. The compatibilizing effects of the oligomer are also observed in PP/Ny6 and polyethylene/Ny6 blends. A relevant compatibilization mechanism is proposed.

     

Kinetic Analysis of A2 + AB2 Polymerization Approach

The kinetic model of the co‐polycondensation with A₂ and AB₂ type monomers is developed and the analytical expressions of the various molecular parameters of the products are derived rigorously. The monomer feed ratio (α) of A₂ to AB₂ significantly affects the molecular parameters and the critical condition of gelation. Gelation can be avoided if α is > . At the critical state, the degree of branching decreases firstly and reaches its minimum value at about α≈0.22. Then, it increases with increasing α‐value. In comparison with experimental results, non‐equal reactivity of the active groups should be considered.

     

Supramolecular Thermoresponsive Hyperbranched Polymers Constructed from Poly(N‐Isopropylacrylamide) Containing One Adamantyl and Two β‐Cyclodextrin Terminal Moieties

Poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) oligomer containing one adamantyl (AD) and two β‐cyclodextrin (β‐CD) moieties at the chain terminals, AD‐PNIPAM‐(β‐CD)₂, was synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and successive click reactions. In aqueous solution, AD‐PNIPAM‐(β‐CD)₂ spontaneously forms supramolecular thermoresponsive hyperbranched polymers via molecular recognition between AD and β‐CD moieties. To the best of our knowledge, this work represents the first report of the construction of supramolecular thermoresponsive hyperbranched polymers from well‐defined polymeric AB₂ building units.