Long-lived polymer radicals. IV. Reactions of poly(N-methylacrylamide) and poly(N-methylmethacrylamide) radicals with binary mixtures of vinyl monomers

N-methylacrylamide (NMAAm) and N-methylmethacrylamide (NMMAm) were polymerized to give polymer microspheres containing living propagating radicals. The microsphere polymer radicals were allowed to react with some binary mixtures of vinyl monomers including alternating copolymerization combinations. The reaction processes were investigated by ESR spectroscopy. In the poly(NMMAm) radical/methyl methacrylate (MMA)/styrene (St) system, the propagating radical from MMA was mainly observed at the higher MMA concentration, while polySt radical prevailed at the lower MMA concentration. In the poly(NMMAm) radical/α-methylstyrene (α-MeSt)/diethyl fumarate system, the α-MeSt radical was exclusively observed, while the maleic anhydride (MAn) radical was predominantly observed in the α-MeSt/MAn system. In the MAn/diphenylethylene system, the propagating radicals from both monomers were observed at comparable concentrations. The poly(NMAAm) microsphere radical behaved differently in the reaction with the MMA/St mixture. The poly(NMAAm) microsphere was found to incorporate preferentially St, leading to formation of the St radical. The St preference was enhanced in the St/cyclohexyl methacrylate (CHMA) system. These results were in agreement with those of block copolymerization via the reaction of poly(NMAAm) radical with the MMA/St or CHMA/St mixture, where the compositions of the resulting polymers were analyzed by pyrolysis gas chromatography.     

Study on grafting of different types of acrylic monomers onto natural rubber by γ-rays

 A comparative study of various acrylic monomers for grafting onto natural rubber was done. The stability of natural rubber latex (NRL) against coagulum with monomer, mechanical properties of grafted rubbers and percent of grafting were investigated. The NRL with monomers, methylacrylate (MA), ethylacrylate (EA) and n-butylacrylate (n-BA), is unstable but it is stable with methyl methacrylate (MMA), n-butyl methacrylate (BMA) and cyclohexyl methacrylate (CHMA). The mechanical properties and degree of grafting attained a maximum at a total radiation dose of 4 kGy. The values of tensile properties of MMA and CHMA grafted rubbers are almost similar, and higher than those of BMA grafted rubbers. On the other hand, the degree of grafting for CHMA is higher than those of MMA and BMA grafted rubbers. The infrared (IR) spectra of monomer grafted natural rubber were also studied.     

Synthesis and characterization of novel poly(cycloalkyl methacrylate) bearing fused‐ring structure and its copolymers

A new family of cycloaliphatic fused‐ring acrylic polymers based on 8‐hydroxymethyltricyclo[5.2.1.0^2,6]decane (TCD) has been synthesized by free‐radical polymerization. TCD‐methacrylate (TCD‐MA) was synthesized by reacting TCD with methacrylic acid in toluene via transesterification with p‐toluenesulfonic acid as a catalyst. TCDMA was polymerized in toluene with benzoyl peroxide as a free‐radical initiator at 80 °C. Copolymers were synthesized by polymerizing TCDMA with styrene and methyl methacrylate. The composition of the comonomers was varied from 0 to 100%. Homo‐ and copolymers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. Molecular weight determination by gel permeation chromatography showed that the polymers were obtained in very high molecular weights in the range of M_n > 50,000 and M_w > 80,000 with relatively low polydispersity. The composition analysis of both the copolymer series were determined by ¹H NMR. The thermal properties of the homo‐ and copolymers were studied with differential scanning calorimetry and all the polymers were found to be amorphous. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 5617–5626, 2004     

Miscibility of polycarbonates with copolymers containing cyclohexylmethacrylate

We prepared various copolymers containing styrene and methacrylates to examine their miscibility with polycarbonates such as bisphenol A polycarbonate (PC), dimethylpolycarbonate (DMPC), and tetramethylpolycarbonate (TMPC). Among the various copolymers examined, poly(methyl methacrylate‐co‐cyclohexylmethacrylate) [P(MMA–CHMA)] copolymers containing proper amounts of cyclohexylmethacrylate (CHMA) formed miscible blends with PC and DMPC, whereas TMPC did not form a miscible blend with P(MMA–CHMA). However, TMPC was miscible with poly(styrene‐co‐cyclohexylmethacrylate) [P(S–CHMA)] copolymers containing less than about 40 wt % CHMA, whereas PC and DMPC were always immiscible with P(S–CHMA). Miscible blends exhibited lower critical solution temperature (LCST)‐type phase behavior. Binary interaction energies were calculated from the observed phase boundaries with lattice–fluid theory combined with a binary interaction model. The quantitative interaction energy of each binary pair indicated that the phenyl ring substitution of polycarbonate with methyl groups did not lead to interactions that were favorable for miscibility with methyl methacrylate (MMA) and CHMA, but it did lead to favorable interactions with styrene. The addition of CHMA to MMA initially increased the LCST but ultimately led to immiscibility with PC and DMPC; however, addition of CHMA to styrene always decreased the LCST with TMPC. The increased LCST of PC or DMPC blends stemmed from intramolecular repulsion between MMA and CHMA, whereas the decreased LCST of TMPC/P(S–CHMA) blends with CHMA content came from negative interaction energy between styrene and CHMA. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 39: 1948–1955, 2001     

Effects of ortho-substituents on reactivities,tacticities, and ceiling temperatures of radical polymerizations of phenyl methacrylates

Radical polymerization and copolymerization of some o-alkylphenyl methacrylates were carried out and the effect of the ortho-substituents on the ability to homopolymerize, on the monomer reactivities, and on the ceiling temperatures of the monomers was studied. The effect of the substituent on tacticities and thermal stabilities of the polymers formed was also discussed. The ability to honiopolymerize and the monomer reactivity were considerably decreased by the introduction of the o-substituent. 2,6-Di-tert-butylphenyl methacrylate formed no methanol-insoluble polymer at 60°C. On the basis of the tacticity determined it was noted that the o-substituted phenyl methacrylates preferred syndiotactic addition in the propagation reaction less than did phenyl methacrylate or methyl methacrylate. The polymers formed from the o-substituted monomers were thermally less stable than poly(phenyl methacrylate), and, consistent with this finding, ceiling temperatures of the o-substituted phenyl methacrylates seemed to be lower than that of phenyl methacrylate. The effects observed were characteristic of the o-substituents conformationally close to the carbon-carbon double bond of the monomer or the carbon carrying the unpaired electron of the polymer radical.     

Grafting on crosslinked polymer beads by ATRP from polymer supported N-chlorosulfonamides

Grafting of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and ethyl acrylate (EA) monomers from immobilized N-chlorosulfonamide (NCSA) groups on crosslinked polystyrene-based beads have been achieved by copper mediated atom transfer radical polymerisation (ATRP) methodology. The initiation takes place via NCSA groups on the polymer, created by chlorination of crosslinked polystyrene sulfonamides. Using CuBr and hexacishexyl triethylenetetramine ligand for MMA and EA grafting showed a first order kinetics for each monomers.Polymers with 3.18 mmol g⁻¹ of NCSA groups have a progressive mass increase in accordance with increasing MMA graft polymerisation up to 380.0% grafting obtained after 6 h.By the method presented, grafting of MMA and EA have been successfully achieved with negligible amounts of free polymer formation (6.2%) in the solution. Hence grafting by ATRP through polymer supported NCSA is superior to the common radical grafting methods which are yielding free polymers simultaneously.The method provides an efficient procedure in preparing core-shell type of polymers, with retention of the bead shapes.     

Surface energies of linear and cross-linked polymers based on isobornyl methacrylate and methacryl-heptaisobutyl POSS

The use of monofunctional polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) as polymer modifiers requires controlling the phase separation process producing POSS-rich and polymer-rich domains that occurs in most systems due to the thermodynamic incompatibility between both components. One significant result of this study is the finding that isobornyl methacrylate (IBoMA) is an excellent reactive solvent of a commercial methacryl-heptaisobutyl POSS (MA-POSS). Formulations containing up to 30 wt% MA-POSS in IBoMA or in IBoMA (95 parts by weight)-diethylene glycol dimethacrylate (DEGDMA, 5 parts by weight), were polymerized using benzoyl peroxide as initiator up to complete conversion of CC bonds (determined by FTIR). Transparent POSS-modified materials were obtained without any evidence of a macroscopic phase separation. POSS addition produced a decrease of the glass transition temperature and the glassy and rubbery elastic modulus. A significant decrease in surface energy for both linear and cross-linked polymers was observed. This effect was particularly important for cross-linked polymers where the addition of 30 wt% POSS decreased the surface energy from about 29 mN m⁻¹ to 16 mN m⁻¹, a very low value for hydrocarbon materials. This study opens a way to obtain hydrophobic methacrylic coatings without the use of fluorinated monomers.     

Reactivity of methacrylates in anionic copolymerization with methyl methacrylate by n-BuLi

Monomer reactivity ratios, r₁ and r₂ were determined in the anionic copolymerizations of methyl methacrylate (MMA, M₁) with ethyl (EtMA), isopropyl (i-PrMA), tert-butyl (t-BuMA), benzyl (BzMA), α-methylbenzyl (MBMA), diphenylmethyl (DPMMA), α,α-dimethylbenzyl (DMBMA), and trityl (TrMA) methacrylates (M₂) by use of n-BuLi as an initiator in toluene and THF at -78°C. The order of the reactivity of the monomers towards MMA anion was DPMMA > BzMA > MMA > EtMA > MBMA > i-PrMA > t-BuMA > TrMA > DMBMA in toluene and TrMA > BzMA > MMA > DPMMA > EtMA > MBMA > i-PrMA > DMBMA > t-BuMA in THF. Except for the extremely low reactivity of TrMA and DPMMA in toluene due to steric hindrance, the order was explained in terms of the polar effect of the ester groups. A linear relationship was found between log (1/r₁) and Taft's σ* values of the ester groups, where the ρ* value was 1.1. The plots of log (1/r₁) vs. the ¹H_a (cis to the carbonyl) and ¹³C_ß chemical shifts of the monomers were also on straight lines. The polymer obtained in the copolymerization of MMA with TrMA in toluene by n-BuLi at -78°C was a mixture of poly-MMA and a copolymer, suggesting that there exist two kinds of growing centers.     

Star‐shaped polymers having side chain poss groups for solid polymer electrolytes; synthesis,thermal behavior,dimensional stability,and ionic conductivity

A series of organic/inorganic hybrid star‐shaped polymers were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization using 3‐(3,5,7,9,11,13,15‐heptacyclohexyl‐pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^3,9.1^5,15.1^7,13]‐octasiloxane‐1‐yl)propyl methacrylate (MA‐POSS) and poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMA) as monomers and octakis(2‐bromo‐2‐methylpropionoxypropyldimethylsiloxy)octasilsesquioxane as an initiator. Star‐shaped polymers with methyl methacrylate (MMA) and PEGMA moieties were also prepared for comparison purposes. Dimensionally stable freestanding film could be obtained from the hybrid star‐shaped polymer containing 26 wt % of MA‐POSS moieties although its glass transition temperature is very low, ?60.9 °C. As a result, the hybrid star‐shaped polymer electrolyte containing lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide showed ionic conductivities (1.75 × 10^?5 S/cm at 30 °C), which were two orders of magnitude higher than those of the star‐shaped polymer electrolyte with MMA moieties. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Stereocontrol in the free‐radical polymerization of methacrylates with fluoroalcohols

The free‐radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA), ethyl methacrylate (EMA), isopropyl methacrylate (IPMA), and tert‐butyl methacrylate (t‐BuMA) was carried out under various conditions to achieve stereoregulation. In the MMA polymerization, syndiotactic specificity was enhanced by the use of fluoroalcohols, including (CF₃)₃COH as a solvent or an additive. The polymerization of MMA in (CF₃)₃COH at −98 °C achieved the highest syndiotacticity (rr = 93%) for the radical polymerization of methacrylates. Similar effects of fluoroalcohols enhancing syndiotactic specificity were also observed in the polymerization of EMA, whereas the effect was negligible in the IPMA polymerization. In contrast to the polymerizations of MMA and EMA, syndiotactic specificity was decreased by the use of (CF₃)₃COH in the t‐BuMA polymerization. The stereoeffects of fluoroalcohols seemed to be due to the hydrogen‐bonding interaction of the alcohols with monomers and growing species. The interaction was confirmed by NMR measurements. In addition, in the bulk polymerization of MMA at −78 °C, syndiotactic specificity and polymer yield increased even in the presence of a small amount {[(CF₃)₃COH]/[MMA]_o < 1} of (CF₃)₃COH. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 4693–4703, 2000     

Preparation and polymerization of thyroxine methacrylate monomers

Thyroxine methyl ester amides of mono-, di-, and tri-glycyl methacrylates have been prepared. Water-soluble polymers formed from thyroxine methacrylate monomers by free-radical copolymerization with acrylamide had molecular weights of (2–4) × 10⁴ (by viscometry). A fluorescent polymer was prepared by copolymerization with a fluorescein methacrylate monomer. Similarly, a polymeric thyroxine material was prepared with amine functionality by copolymerization with N-3-aminopropylmethacrylamide. These polymers may have interesting biological and immunochemical properties.     

Thermal stability and high glass transition temperature of 4-chloromethyl styrene polymers bearing carbazolyl moieties

A new styrene derivative monomer, 4-(N-carbazolyl)methyl styrene (CzMS), was synthesized by reacting 4-chloromethyl styrene with carbazole in the presence of sodium hydride. Then, CzMS was homopolymerized and copolymerized with different monomers such as methyl methacrylate (MMA), ethyl methacrylate (EMA), methyl acrylate (MA), ethyl acrylate (EA) and n-butyl acrylate (BA) by free radical polymerization method in N,N-di-methylformamide (DMF) solution at 70 ± 1 °C using azobisisobutyronitrile initiator to give the copolymers I-V in good yields. The structure of all the resulted polymers was characterized and confirmed by FT-IR, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectroscopic techniques. The average molecular weight and glass transition temperature of polymers were determined using gel permeation chromatograph (GPC) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) instruments, respectively. It was found that these polymers with carbazole moieties have high thermal stability and the presence of bulk carbazole groups in polymer side chains leads to an increase in the rigidity and glass transition temperature of polymers.     

Three‐Arm Star Homo‐ and Block Co‐Polymers Via Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization

Star homopolymers of some vinyl monomers such as methyl methacrylate, n‐butyl methacrylate and styrene (MMA, nBMA, St.) were prepared by using a N,N,N′N′‐tetramethylethylenediamine ligand/CuBr catalytic system via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). A three armed benzene based core was successfully used as initiator. Low polydispersities and regular molecular weight values were obtained in most cases, especially at low conversions. MMA and BMA showed comparable behavior where controlled and true ATRP was observed even at high conversions. However, styrene monomer recorded irregular high polydispersities at high conversions in spite of the relatively low molecular weight values. Some block copolymers were obtained using MMA homopolymer as macroinitiator with the same strategy of ATRP. ¹H‐NMR confirmed the structures of the resulting polymers. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) proved the nano‐structure of the star polymers. The thermal behavior of the MMA star homo and copolymers was studied. The effect of the star shape on thermal behavior was very clear with respect to the linear ones.     

Reverse atom transfer radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate with FeCl3/pyromellitic acid

Iron^III chloride coordinated by pyromellitic acid was successfully used as the catalytic system in reverse atom transfer radical polymerization of MMA. Well-defined poly(methyl methacrylate) with narrow molecular weight distribution was synthesized in N,N-dimethylformamide at 80-110 °C. Chain extension was performed to confirm the living nature of the polymer. The presence of the end chloride atom on the resulting PMMA was demonstrated by ¹HNMR spectroscopy. This catalyst system is effective for reverse ATRP of methacrylates but not for acrylates.     

Poly(methyl methacrylate) copolymers containing multiple,pendent plasticizing groups

New ether dimer (ED‐Eh) and diester (EHDE) derivatives of α‐(hydroxymethyl)acrylate, each having two 2‐ethylhexyl side chains, and an amine‐linked di(2‐ethylhexyl)acrylate (AL‐Eh), having three 2‐ethylhexyl side chains, were synthesized and (co)polymerized to evaluate the effects of differences in the structures of the monomers on final (co)polymer properties, particularly glass transition temperature, T_g. The free radical polymerizations of these monomers yielded high‐molecular–weight polymers. Cyclopolymer formation of ED‐Eh and AL‐Eh was confirmed by ¹³C NMR analysis and the cyclization efficiencies were found to be very high (～100%). Copolymers of ED‐Eh, EHDE, and AL‐Eh with methyl methacrylate (MMA) showed significant T_g decreases over poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) due to 2‐ethylhexyl side groups causing “internal” plasticization. Comparison of the T_g's of the copolymers of 2‐ethylhexyl methacrylate, ED‐Eh, EHDE, and AL‐Eh with MMA revealed that the impacts of these monomers on depression of T_g's are identical with respect to the total concentration of the pendent groups. This is consistent with an earlier study involving copolymers of monomers comprising one and two octadecyl side groups with MMA. That is, the magnitude of decrease in T_g's was quantitatively related to the number of the 2‐ethylhexyl pendent groups in the copolymers rather than their placement on the same or randomly incorporated repeat units. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 2302–2310, 2010     

Biobased Polymers via Radical Homopolymerization and Copolymerization of a Series of Terpenoid-Derived Conjugated Dienes with exo-Methylene and 6-Membered Ring

A series of exo-methylene 6-membered ring conjugated dienes, which are directly or indirectly obtained from terpenoids, such as β-phellandrene, carvone, piperitone, and verbenone, were radically polymerized. Although their radical homopolymerizations were very slow, radical copolymerizations proceeded well with various common vinyl monomers, such as methyl acrylate (MA), acrylonitrile (AN), methyl methacrylate (MMA), and styrene (St), resulting in copolymers with comparable incorporation ratios of bio-based cyclic conjugated monomer units ranging from 40 to 60 mol% at a 1:1 feed ratio. The monomer reactivity ratios when using AN as a comonomer were close to 0, whereas those with St were approximately 0.5 to 1, indicating that these diene monomers can be considered electron-rich monomers. Reversible addition fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) copolymerizations with MA, AN, MMA, and St were all successful when using S-cumyl-S’-butyl trithiocarbonate (CBTC) as the RAFT agent resulting in copolymers with controlled molecular weights. The copolymers obtained with AN, MMA, or St showed glass transition temperatures (T_g) similar to those of common vinyl polymers (T_g ~ 100 °C), indicating that biobased cyclic structures were successfully incorporated into commodity polymers without losing good thermal properties.     

Radical cyclopolymerization of dimethacrylates bearing rigid adamantane-like core derived from naturally occurring myo-inositol

Dimethacrylates with rigid adamantane-like cores were synthesized from myo-inositol orthoester via a sequence of (a) acylation or silylation of the equatorially oriented hydroxyl group, followed by (b) attachment of methacrylate groups on the axially oriented hydroxyl groups. The radical homopolymerization of these compounds proceeded via cyclopolymerization without crosslinking, as the two axially oriented methacrylate groups were fixed in close proximity with each other. The dimethacrylates underwent radical copolymerization with methyl methacrylate (MMA) to afford the corresponding polymethacrylates, exhibiting high glass transition temperatures (T_g), due to the introduction of the rigid orthoester moieties originating from the monomers and the macrocyclic structures formed via intramolecular cyclization of the two methacrylate groups of the monomers. The polymers obtained by polymerization of the dimethacrylate bearing a silylated hydroxyl group served as precursors of hydroxyl-bearing polymers, which also exhibited high T_g due to the formation of a hydrogen bonding network between the hydroxyl groups.     

Synthesis and characterization of two new cyclobutyl and aryl hydroxyethyl methacrylate monomers and their polymers

Two new hydroxyethyl methacrylates having aryl and cyclobutane rings were synthesized by addition to 1-(epoxyethyl)-3-aryl-3-methylcyclobutane to methacrylic acid. The monomers prepared are 2-(3-methyl-3-phenylcyclobutyl)-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (PCHEMA) and 2-(3-methyl-3-mesitylcyclobutyl)-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (MCHEMA). Both monomers were polymerized at 60°C in 1,4-dioxane solution using benzoyl peroxide as initiator. Poly(PCHEMA) and poly(MCHEMA) and their monomers were characterized by FT-IR and ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR techniques. Weight average molecular weights of the polymers were determined for poly(PCHEMA) poly(MCHEMA) by gel permation chromatography. Thermal stabilities of the polymers were essentially the same. Glass transition temperatures for poly(PCHEMA) and poly(MCHEMA) were determined as 105 and 137°C, respectively. No changes of the polymers by irradiation with UV light at 254 nm were observed. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 2123–2128, 1997     

Preparation and functionalization of linear and reductively degradable highly branched cyanoacrylate‐based polymers

Ethyl cyanoacrylate (ECA) was polymerized radically in the presence of small amounts of trifluoroacetic acid as effective inhibitor of incidental anionic polymerization. Methyl methacrylate and other functional vinyl monomers (e.g., 2‐chloroethyl and 2‐bromoethyl methacrylate) were copolymerized with ECA, yielding linear ECA‐rich copolymers, which could readily undergo further modifications, for instance nucleophilic substitution with azide. In the presence of a disulfide‐containing dimethacrylate crosslinker and a chain transfer agent (CBr₄) during the free radical copolymerizations of ECA with methacrylates, highly branched ECA‐based polymers containing disulfide groups at the branching points were obtained prior to gelation. The polymers degraded upon addition of reducing agents. The prepared polymers, which contained peripheral (chain end) alkyl bromide groups as well as pendant alkyl chloride or bromide groups were then reacted with sodium azide, affording azide‐containing polymers that were reacted with functional alkynes under copper‐catalyzed “click” chemistry conditions. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 3683–3693     

Block copolymerization of 5,6-benzo-2-methylene-1,3-dioxepane with conventional vinyl monomers by ATRP method

Polystyrene-block-poly(5,6-benzo-2-methylene-1,3-dioxepane) (PSt-b-PBMDO), poly(methyl methacrylate)-block-PBMDO (PMMA-b-PBMDO) and poly(methyl acrylate)-block-PBMDO (PMA-b-PBMDO) were synthesized by two-step atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of conventional vinyl monomers, then BMDO. First, the polymerization of St, or MMA, or MA was realized by ATRP with ethyl α-bromobutyrate (EBrB) as initiator in conjunction with CuBr and 2,2^′-bipyridine (bpy). After isolation, polymers with terminal bromine, PSt-Br, PMMA-Br and PMA-Br, were obtained. Second, the ATRP of BMDO was performed by using macroinitiator, PSt-Br (or PMMA-Br, PMA-Br) in the presence of CuBr/bpy. The structures of block copolymers were characterized by 1H NMR spectra. Molecular weight and polydispersity index were determined on gel permeation chromatograph. Among the block copolymers obtained, PMA-b-PBMDO shows the most narrow molecular weight distribution.