Comparative studies of photocrosslinking of a butadiene-styrene copolymer without and with a magnetic field

A butadiene-styrene copolymer with 10 wt% styrene and containing an aromatic ketone (benzophenone or deoxybenzoin) was crosslinked by u.v. irradiation. The reactions were investigated in comparative experiments both without and with a magnetic field (flux density B = 1.0 Tesla). The degree of crosslinking was measured by a sol/gel analysis (determination of the polymer fraction soluble in ethyl acetate). About i5% less of the polymer was soluble after reaction in the magnetic field, corresponding to a higher crosslink yield. The results are confirmed by statistical evaluation and discussed with respect to the possible reasons for the influence of the magnetic field on the reactions and the different crosslinking efficiencies of the ketones.     

Unusual Transformation from a Solvent‐Stabilized 1D Coordination Polymer to a Metal–Organic Framework (MOF)‐Like Cross‐Linked 3D Coordination Polymer

An unusual 1D‐to‐3D transformation of a coordination polymer based on organic linkers containing highly polar push–pull π‐conjugated side chains is reported. The coordination polymers are synthesized from zinc nitrate and an organic linker, namely, 2,5‐bis{4‐[1‐(4‐nitrophenyl)pyrrolidin‐2‐yl]butoxy}terephthalic acid, which possesses highly polar (4‐nitrophenyl)pyrrolidine groups, with high dipole moments of about 7 D. The coordination polymers exhibit an unusual transformation from a soluble, solvent‐stabilized 1D coordination polymer into an insoluble, metal–organic framework (MOF)‐like 3D coordination polymer. The coordination polymer exhibits good film‐forming ability, and the MOF‐like films are insoluble in conventional organic solvents.     

Synthesis and Properties of a New Polyesterimide from a Forest Product

Polyesterimide offers a class of resin which combines the advantage of high temperature stability with ease of process-ability. Gum rosin, the exudate of pine trees, has been developed as the raw material for preparation of polyesterimide. Abietic acid of rosin reacts readily with maleic anhydride to form the Diels-Alder adduct, which reacts with p-amino benzoic acid to produce a dicarboxylic acid containing an internal imide group. The dicarboxylic acid reacts with diethylene glycol under melt polycondensation at higher temperature (260–300°C)to produce polyesterimide. The polymer is found to be soluble in highly polar solvents. The polymer is amorphous and of low molecular weight. Thermal stability of the polymer has been characterized, and the polymer was found to be thermostable.     

Preparation of Latexes with Poly(Methyl Methacrylate) Cores and Hydrophilic Polymer Shells Containing Amino Groups

Abstract

Functional latexes with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) cores and amino‐containing, water‐soluble polymer shells were synthesized via direct graft copolymerization of methyl methacrylate from water‐soluble polymers induced by a small amount of tert‐butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) at 80°C for 2 h. Amphiphilic graft copolymers and PMMA homopolymers were generated concurrently to form highly monodispersed latexes. The effects of water‐soluble polymer containing different amino group, reaction temperature, TBHP concentration, molecular weight of the polymer and pH of the solution on conversion and grafting efficiency of the monomer and particle size were investigated. Transmission electron microscopic images of the PMMA/poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI) and PMMA/poly(allylamine) (PAA) particles clearly show well‐defined core‐shell morphologies, where PMMA cores are coated with either PEI or PAA shell. The amino‐containing polymer shells were also confirmed with zeta‐potential measurements. Furthermore, the amino‐containing latexes can be produced with a solids content up to 22 wt.%. Thus, this method provides a commercially viable route to functional latexes.     

Rigid-ladder polymers: Polymers containing anthraquinone recurring units

In an attempt to synthesize some processable ladder or partial ladder polymers containing anthraquinone recurring units, leucoquinalizarin was treated with 3,3′-diaminobenzidine. This polymer, which was a black powdery material, was slightly soluble in concentrated sulfuric acid and dimethylsulfoxide. Also, 1,5-diamino-2,6-dimercaptoanthraquinone was condensed with 2,5-dichloro-p-benzoquinone in pyridine to give a black powdery polymer. This was only partially soluble in concentrated sulfuric acid, but could be solubilized in alkali by reduction with sodium dithionite.     

Site Isolation Leads to Stable Photocatalytic Reduction of CO2 over a Rhenium‐Based Catalyst

A porous organic polymer incorporating [(α‐diimine)Re(CO)₃Cl] moieties was produced and tested in the photocatalytic reduction of CO₂, with NEt₃ as a sacrificial donor. The catalyst generated both H₂ and CO, although the Re moiety was not required for H₂ generation. After an induction period, the Re‐containing porous organic polymer produced CO at a stable rate, unless soluble [(bpy)Re(CO)₃Cl] (bpy=2,2′‐bipyridine) was added. This provides the strongest evidence to date that [(α‐diimine)Re(CO)₃Cl] catalysts for photocatalytic CO₂ reduction decompose through a bimetallic pathway.     

Thermoresponsive Synergistic Hydrogen Bonding Switched by Several Guest Units in a Water‐Soluble Polymer

Thermoresponsive synergistic hydrogen bonding (H‐bonding) switched by several guest units in a water‐soluble polymer is reported. Adjusting the distribution of guest units can effectively change the synergistic H‐bonding inside polymer chains, thus widely switch the preorganization and thermoresponsive behavior of a water‐soluble polymer. The synergistic H‐bonding is also evidenced by converting less polar aldehyde groups into water‐soluble oxime groups, which bring about the lowering‐down of cloud point and an amplified hysteresis effect. This is a general approach toward the wide tunability of thermosensitivity of a water‐soluble polymer simply by adjusting the distribution of several guest H‐bonding units.     

Preparation of Porous Poly(ε‐caprolactone) Structures

Porous poly(ε‐caprolactone) structures have been prepared by leaching of compression moulded salt‐containing polymer precipitates. Coagulation takes place when a PCL solution containing dispersed water‐soluble salt particles is precipitated into an excess of non‐solvent. Porous scaffolds are obtained after leaching of the compression moulded polymer‐salt precipitate. This process yields scaffolds with a very homogeneous pore morphology and independent control of pore size and porosity.     

Inverse microemulsion polymerization of oil-soluble monomers in the presence of hydrophilic polyacrylamide nanoparticles

A new method for preparation of modified polymer particles in two steps was proposed. Free radical polymerization of an oil soluble vinyl monomer like butyl acrylate in inverse microemulsion containing polyacrylamide particles led to the formation of modified, partly hydrophobized, polyacrylamide particles. For the first step of the process (preparation of polyacrylamide particles in inverse microemulsion) is typical a very high polymerization rate while for the second step (polymerization of an oil soluble monomer (methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, butyl acrylate 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, styrene) in the presence of polyacrylamide particles in inverse microemulsion, the reverse is true. The polymerization of an oil soluble monomer in some instances leads to the formation of 2-phase or even 3-phase disperse systems. The polymeric products obtained after precipitation of the polymer particles from the inverse microemulsions by ethanol were extracted by water and/or toluene and analyzed for acrylamide content. The separated polymer product contained high content of acrylamide, AAm/oil soluble monomer (butyl acrylate BA, or styrene, S) copolymer (85% of AAm/BA, ≈ 99% of AAm/S) besides relatively small amounts of homopolymers of oil soluble monomers (15% of BA, ≈ 1% of S homopolymers).     

Plasmon-mediated photopolymerization maps plasmon fields for silver nanoparticles

Visible light exposure of films containing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) shows that the enhanced field around AgNPs in a thin film containing an azo free radical initiator (AIBN) and a triacrylate selectively cross-links the triacrylate within the plasmonic region around the particles. The cross-linked polymer is less soluble than its precursor and behaves as a solubility switch. After the film is developed with ethanol, polymer-encapsulated nanoparticles are preserved on the surface. The 8-10 nm polymer structure that encapsulates the particles effectively maps and preserves the morphology of the plasmon field in AgNP-controlled nanostructures.     

Synthesis of a spirobenzothiazoline polymer and its thermal rearrangement to a polydihydrobenzothiazine

The reaction of 3,3′-dimercaptobenzidine with 1,4-cyclohexanedione leads to a soluble, high molecular weight, spirobenzothiazoline polymer. Above 200°C the spirolinks of this polymer rearrange into a ladder structure leading to a polydihydrobenzothiazine.     

A new crosslinkable polyphenol from a renewable resource

Cardanol, a major component obtained by thermal treatment of cashew nut shell liquid, is a phenol derivative mainly having a C15 unsaturated hydrocarbon chain with 1–3 double bonds at the m‐position. We polymerized cardanol using an Fe‐salen complex as the catalyst to give a soluble polyphenol containing the unsaturated alkyl group in the side chain. The polymer was subjected to hardening by a cobalt naphthenate catalyst or thermal treatment, yielding crosslinked film with high gloss surface.     

Synthesis and preliminary studies on a novel class of soluble amino alcohol reagents based on methacrylate copolymers

A class of soluble polymers containing chiral β-amino alcohol ligands, based on methacryate copolymers, are described. The use of copolymers permits the selective introduction of material to control the solubility and a functional group in a controllable ratio and polymer length. The application of the supported polymers to diethylzinc additions is described.     

Degradable polymer networks and star polymers based on mixtures of two cleavable dimethacrylate crosslinkers: Synthesis,characterization, and degradation

Mixtures of two cleavable dimethacrylate crosslinkers, the hydrolyzable di(methacryloyloxy‐1‐ethoxy)methane (DMOEM) and the thermolyzable 1,1‐ethylenediol dimethacrylate (EDDMA), were used for the preparation of neat crosslinker polymer networks, randomly crosslinked polymer networks of methyl methacrylate (MMA), and star polymers of MMA, using group transfer polymerization in tetrahydrofuran (THF). All star polymers and randomly crosslinked polymer networks containing mixtures of the hydrolyzable DMOEM and the thermolyzable EDDMA crosslinkers gave THF‐soluble final products when subjected to sequential thermolysis and hydrolysis, in this order. When applying sequential hydrolysis and thermolysis, only the star polymers with an EDDMA crosslinker content equal to or higher than 50% gave THF‐soluble final products. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 5853–5870, 2009     

Organosilane polymers: Synthesis and photochemical and photophysical behavior of poly[dimethyl-co-methyl(1-naphthyl)silylene]

A meltable, partially crystalline silane copolymer, PSN, containing dimethylsilylene and methyl(1-naphthyl) silylene units was synthesized and characterized. The polymer has a high molecular weight, is appreciably soluble in common solvents and is photoactive. The emission properties of PSN, under stationary and nonstationary conditions, were studied in dilute THF solution. PSN is the first organosilane polymer showing an intense intramolecular excimer emission in addition to monomer and intramolecular charge transfer (CT) fluorescence. It is shown that the ratio of excimer to monomer fluorescence can be used to monitor the UV induced degradation of the polymer.     

Synthesis and catalytic applications of soluble polymer-supported BINOL

The synthesis of a soluble polymer containing BINOL residues is described. Titanium-BINOLate and AlLibis(binaphthoxide) catalysts are easily generated from this polymer and applied to the asymmetric reaction of Et₂Zn with benzaldehyde and the asymmetric Michael addition, respectively. The products are obtained in good yields with high enantioselectivities.     

Synthesis,chiroptical properties of a helical polyacetylene derivative carrying urea moieties

A novel phenylacetylene derivative containing urea groups was synthesized and polymerized with a Rh catalyst to give the corresponding polymer, poly（1） with moderate number-average molecular weights. The poly（1） was soluble in toluene, CHCI3, CH2C12, THF, DMF, and DMSO, but insoluble in hexane, diethyl ether and MeOH. The specific rotation and circular dichroism （CD） spectroscopic studies revealed that poly（1） took predominantly one-handed helical structures. The presence of intramolecular hydrogen bonding was confirmed by liquid-state IR spectroscopy. The helicity of poly（1） could be tuned by temperature and anion. The helical conformation of the polymer was stable against Br but susceptible to F.     

Preparation of soluble graft polymers from allyl benzoate/2,2′‐azobis(N‐(2‐propenyl)‐2‐methylpropionamide) crosslinked polymers as insoluble polymeric azo initiators

2,2′‐Azobis(N‐(2‐propenyl)‐2‐methylpropionamide) (APMPA) having two carbon‐carbon double bonds and an azo group was copolymerized with allyl benzoate (ABz) at 60°C, providing an azo groups containing ABz/APMPA crosslinked polymer which may act as an insoluble polymeric azo initiator. The gelation in ABz/APMPA (70/30 mol/mol) copolymerization was discussed in detail in order to reveal the characteristic polymerization behavior of APMPA as a novel diallyl monomer. The effectiveness of the resulting ABz/APMPA crosslinked polymer to give a soluble graft polymer through cleavage of the azo crosslinkages at an elevated temperature was then examined by polymerizing ABz at 120°C.     

Synthesis and characterization of a self-crosslinkable polymer from cardanol: Autooxidation of poly(cardanyl acrylate) to crosslinked film

Cardanyl acrylate (CA), a monomer that yields crosslinkable copolymers, was synthesized by the reaction of cardanol with acryloyl chloride. A linear polymer was obtained by solution polymerization of the monomer in toluene using 0.8% azobisisobutyronitrile as initiator. Upon removal of solvent, the polymer undergoes crosslinking on exposure to air (or UV light) to give an insoluble transparent film. However, in bulk and suspension polymerization the polymer undergoes in situ crosslinking in the absence of any crosslinking agent. The polymer was characterized by IR, NMR, DSC, and GPC. The crosslinking reaction of soluble polymer on exposure to air at ambient conditions was explained by the hydroperoxide theory. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

New thermally stable polymer with a graphite-type structure

A new thermally stable polymer with a structure resembling that of graphite has been synthesized by the condensation of 1,4,5,8-tetraaminoanthraquinone and 1,3,6,8-tetraketo-1,2,3,6,7,8-hexahydropyrene (naphthalene-1,8,4,5-diindandione). Prepolymers, with an open structure, were soluble to some extent in concentrated sulfuric acid but were more completely solubilized by methanesulfonic acid. The final polymer with a closed-ring structure, which was obtained by heating the prepolymer having an inherent viscosity of 0.4, was completely insoluble in these acids. Elemental analysis indicated that a high degree of cyclization was achieved, and the final polymer showed good thermal stability. Prepolymers with inherent viscosities in the range 0.11–1.58 have been obtained but, usually, a high viscosity was accompanied by a low acid solubility. Prepolymers with an inherent viscosity of 0.4, which were very soluble (>90%) in strong acids, were solubilized to a high degree by reduction with sodium dithionite in alkaline, aqueous dimethylacetamide. The highest molecular weight prepolymer (inherent viscosity of 1.30–1.58) was solubilized to a greater extent in this base mixture than in methanesulfonic acid. However, it was not completely soluble, under the conditions employed. The propolymers of higher molecular weight showed some fiber- and film-forming properties.