Alternating copolymerization of benzofuran with crotononitrile and α-chloroacrylonitrile

The copolymerizations of benzofuran with α,α- or α,β-disubstituted acrylic monomers were studied. The alternating copolymer of benzofuran and crotononitrile was prepared in the presence of an excess amount of crotononitrile with respect to benzofuran, ethylaluminum dichloride, and azobisisobutyronitrile. The intrinsic viscosity of copolymers was 0.1–0.2 dl/g. Crotononitrile is known to possess a polar carbon–carbon double bond from ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy but the alternating copolymerizability with benzofuran is low. It was found that the order of alternating copolymerizability of acrylic monomers is as follows: This fact may be attributed to the steric hindrance of the β-methyl of crotononitrile. The induced shifts by complexation with ethylaluminum dichloride on ¹³C-NMR spectra of the two isomers of crotononitrile are almost same but the copolymerizability of cis isomer is higher than that of trans isomer. α-Chloroacrylonitrile shows the highest alternating copolymerizability with benzofuran in the presence of weak Lewis acid such as ethoxyaluminum chloride. Alternating copolymerizability of acrylic monomers seems to be in proportion to their e value. The reactivity of cis- and trans-crotononitrile may depend on the nature of a ternary complex composed of aluminum compound, crotononitrile, and benzofuran.     

γ-Ray-induced polymerization of α-haloacrylic acids

The γ-ray induced polymerizations of α-chloroacrylic acid, mp 66°C, and α-bromo-acrylic acid, mp 72°C, were investigated in the temperature range from 35°C to 85°C. An analysis of polymerization kinetics was made, and results were similar to those reported in the literature for other vinyl monomers. On heating of the polymer obtained, elimination of hydrogen halide takes place, and intramolecular lactone formation is observed. The rate of lactone formation of poly(α-chloroacrylic acid) obtained in the solid-state polymerization was found to be higher than that in the liquid state, because a highly isotactic configuration of polymers, tends to be formed in the solid-state polymerization, and elimination of hydrogen chloride is facilitated with an isotactic 5₂ helix structure.     

Cationic polymerization of γ-methyl- and α-methylphenylallene

The cationic polymerizations of γ-methylphenylallene ( 1 ) and α-methylphenylallene ( 2 ) were carried out with some Lewis acids at 25 and 0°C in dichloromethane to obtain the corresponding polymers through allyl cations, respectively. Tin (IV) chloride was found to be an effective catalyst for the cationic polymerization of both allenes 1 and 2 compared with other Lewis acids. Thus, in the polymerization of 1 , methanol-insoluble polymer was only obtained using Tin (IV) chloride, and M?_n of methanol-insoluble polymer obtained by Tin (IV) chloride was the highest in the polymerization of 2 . From the analysis of ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR spectra of the obtained polymers, the polymer from 1 consisted of two kinds of units polymerized by each double bonds of allene 1 , whereas the polymer from 2 consisted of only one unit polymerized by terminal double bond of allene 2 . Moreover, effect of solvent on the cationic polymerizations of 1 and 2 were discussed.     

Ring-opening polymerization of α,β-disubstituted oxiranes by α-methoxyphenylmethylium hexachloroantimonate

α-Methoxyphenylmethylium hexachloroantimonate was used as a novel initiator for the polymerization of α,β-disubstituted oxiranes such as cyclohexene oxide (CHO) and 2-butene oxide (trans and cis) (2-BO) at ?78°C with dichloromethane or dichloromethane-toluene mixtures as solvents. The CHO polymerization mixture became turbid and the polymer precipitated in dichloromethane. The CHO polymerization proceed quantitatively in dichloromethane–toluene mixtures. The molecular weight distribution of polyCHO obtained was bimodal regardless of the solvent used. The polymerization of trans-2-BO was heterogeneous in both dichloromethane and dichloromethane–toluene mixture. The polymerization mixtures of cis-2-BO were transparent but reached a limit yield which was less than the polymer yield of trans-2-BO. Furthermore, the microstructure of the poly2-BOs were analyzed by Vandenberg's method and the results confirmed Vandenberg's finding that inversion of configuration occurs in the propagation step.     

Lipase-catalyzed ring-opening polymerization of α-methyl-δ-valerolactone and α-methyl-ε-caprolactone

Lipase-catalyzed ring-opening polymerization of α-methyl-substituted medium-size lactones, α-methyl-δ-valerolactone and α-methyl-ε-caprolactone, were carried in bulk. Immobilized lipase derived from Candida antarctica is active in the polymerization of both monomers. The polymerization proceeds under mild reaction conditions to give the corresponding aliphatic polyester having a hydroxy group at one end and a carboxylic acid group at the other.     

Cationic polymerization of α-methylstyrene oxide

The polymerization of α-Methyl Styrene Oxide initiated by trityl hexachloroantimonate is reported upon. Data is presented on side reactions, percent yield and molecular weight of polymer produced in the polymerization.     

Step-growth cationic polymerization of α-hydroxyisopropylferrocene

α-Hydroxyisopropylferrocene, HPF, was synthesized in good yield and polymerized at 20°C with either SnCl₄ or BF₃OEt₂. The polymerization proceeds by self-alkylation of the stable intermediate ferrocenylcarbenium ion on the cyclopentadienyl ring to form oligomers that contain both homoannular and heteroannular links. The unusually high stability of the α-isopropylferrocenylcarbenium ion was demonstrated by synthesizing and isolating α-isopropylferrocenylcarbenium tetrafluoborate from HPF and using it to initiate the polymerization of styrene. Initiation was successful at 20° and at 0°C, but no polymerization occurred ?78°C. The condensation of ferrocene and acetone in the presence of AlCl₃ gave oligomers having structures very similar to those obtained from the cationic polymerization of isopropenylferrocene.     

Cationic polymerization of β-pinene,styrene and α-methylstyrene

Molecular weight distributions determined by gel permeation chromatography demonstrate that α-methylstyrene copolymerizes with both β-pinene and styrene, forming both bi- and terpolymers. The composition of precipitated polymer versus crude polymer, as determined by nuclear magnetic resonance, suggests that β-pinene and styrene also copolymerize. Extraction of the latter bipolymer of β-pinene and styrene with acetone gives only a small amount of insoluble β-pinene homopolymer, confirming that β-pinene and styrene copolymerize in m-xylene. GPC analysis shows that each copolymer contains some homopolymer. A comparison of M _n with molecular weight calculated from NMR analysis, assuming chain transfer to solvent, indicates that chain transfer is the predominant method of forming dead polymer. The carbonium ions of the growing chain tend to transfer to solvent with increasing ease in the order β-pinene, styrene, and α-methylstyrene.     

Poly(α‐methyleneglutarimide)s from radical polymerization of α‐methyleneglutarimides

α‐Methyleneglutaric acid, a metabolite of niacin (nicotinic acid), can be easily converted to its cyclic anhydride. We report here the first conversion of α‐methyleneglutaric anhydride to (a series of) α‐methyleneglutarimides. These monomers can be radically polymerized to the title polymers. These have relatively high glass transition properties compared to the lower homologs derived from itaconimides (α‐methylenesuccinimides). © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018 , 56, 1020–1026     

Isomerization polymerization of 2-vinyl-1,3-dioxolane by α,α′-azobisisobutyronitrile or by γ-ray irradiation

2-Vinyl-1,3-dioxolane was polymerized by use of α,α′-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) or by γ-ray irradiation. The polymer obtained was white amorphous powder which melted at ca. 70°C. and was soluble in chloroform, acetone, and p-dioxane. The infrared spectrum of the polymer indicated peaks at 1735 cm.^?1 characteristic of the carbonyl group, and at 1200–1000 cm.^?1 characteristic of the acetal group, while no absorption at 990 and 3100 cm.^?1 due to the vinyl group was observed. The spectra of the polymers obtained by AIBN and by γ-ray irradiation were essentially identical. The saponified product of the polymer was white powder and its reduced viscosity was a little larger than that of the original polymer. These results indicate that the polymer has no ester unit in the main chain. The results of gas chromatographic analysis of the saponified product of the polymer, indicate the presence of a small amount of ethyl alcohol. The results of the saponification showed that the ester content in the polymer varied from 7 to 25% depending upon the polymerization temperature. These results indicate that 2-vinyl-1,3-dioxolane polymerized by AIBN or by γ-irradiation with two modes of vinyl and hydrogen migration, yielding a copolymer having the unit structures      

Dilatometric constant for polymerization of α-methylstyrene

By measurement of the specific volume of solutions of poly-α-methylstyrene in α-methylstyrene monomer at 25°C, the dilatometric constant was found to be K_D = (0.002007 ± 0.000030)%^?1. Estimation of the temperature dependence resulted in the equation (K_D)_t = 1.81 × 10^?3 + 7.82 + 10^?6 t, where t denotes temperature in °C.     

α,ω-diols from polymerization of ethylene

Polyethylene is prepared in silver perchlorate solution by initiation with dialkyl peroxydicarbonates at 0–40°C. Saponification of the polymer endgroups yields a product rich in α,ω-diols. Well-known reactions convert the hydroxyl groups to other functional groups. The diol may be condensed with phosgene so as to increase its molecular weight severalfold or crosslinked with silicon tetrachloride to form a network.     

Radical‐initiated polymerization of β‐methyl‐α‐methylene‐γ‐butyrolactone

β‐Methyl‐α‐methylene‐γ‐butyrolactone (MMBL) was synthesized and then was polymerized in an N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF) solution with 2,2‐azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) initiation. The homopolymer of MMBL was soluble in DMF and acetonitrile. MMBL was homopolymerized without competing depolymerization from 50 to 70 °C. The rate of polymerization (R_p) for MMBL followed the kinetic expression R_p = [AIBN]^0.54[MMBL]^1.04. The overall activation energy was calculated to be 86.9 kJ/mol, k_p/k_t^1/2 was equal to 0.050 (where k_p is the rate constant for propagation and k_t is the rate constant for termination), and the rate of initiation was 2.17 × 10^?8 mol L^?1 s^?1. The free energy of activation, the activation enthalpy, and the activation entropy were 106.0, 84.1, and 0.0658 kJ mol^?1, respectively, for homopolymerization. The initiation efficiency was approximately 1. Styrene and MMBL were copolymerized in DMF solutions at 60 °C with AIBN as the initiator. The reactivity ratios (r₁ = 0.22 and r₂ = 0.73) for this copolymerization were calculated with the Kelen–Tudos method. The general reactivity parameter Q and the polarity parameter e for MMBL were calculated to be 1.54 and 0.55, respectively. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 1759–1777, 2003     

Trityl salt—initiated polymerization of α-methylstyrene

The initiation reaction of the polymerization of α-methylstyrene by trityl tetrachloroferate and tritylhexachloroantimonate in 1,2-dichloroethane at 20°C was studied. The rate constants were 14 × 10^?3 and 27 × 10^?3 L mol^?1s^?1, respectively. The dissociation constants of tritylterachloroferate (K_d = 0.88 × 10^?4M^?1) and tritylhexachloroantimonate (K_d = 2.64 × 10^?4M^?1) was determined. The effect of electron acceptors and donors on the dissociation equilibrium and initiation rate was investigated. It was shown that in strongly dissociated ion pairs such as stable carbenium salts the electron donors and acceptors have no appreciable effect on the magnitude of the dissociation. The temperature dependence of the rate constants in the ?20–+20°C range yielded the following thermodynamic parameters for trityltetrachloroferate: E_i = 8.54 kcal/mol; A = 3.2 × 10⁴ mol^?1s^?1; ΔH* = 8 kcal/mol; and S* = ?39.8 eu.     

Equilibrium anionic polymerization of α-methylstyrene in p-dioxane

The equilibrium anionic polymerization of α-methylstyrene in p-dioxane, with potassium as initiator, has been investigated at 5, 15, 25, and 40°C by using high-vacuum techniques. The comparison of these results with those obtained previously for the equilibrium polymerization of α-methylstyrene in tetrahydrofuran revealed that, although the values of ΔG_1c, the free-energy change upon the polymerization of 1 mole of liquid monomer to 1 bases-mole of liquid amorphous polymer of infinite chain length, are the same for both systems, there is a distinct effect of the solvent. This effect is reflected in the value of monomer equilibrium concentration and its variation with polymer concentration and is explained in terms of a solvent–monomer and solvent–polymer interaction parameter.     

Stereospecific polymerization of α-methylstyrene by friedel-crafts catalysts

The relationship between stereoregularity and polymerization conditions of α-methylstyrene has been studied by means of NMR spectra. The effects of solvents and various Freidel-Crafts catalysts have been investigated. The stereoregularity of poly-α-methylstyrene increased with increased polymer solubility in the solvent used and with decreasing polymerization temperature. This behavior is completely different from the stereospecific polymerization of vinyl ethers and methyl methacrylate in homogeneous systems. This may be due to the strong steric repulsion exerted by the two substituents in the α-position of α-methylstyrene. For example, with BF₃ · O(C₂H₅)₂ as catalyst at ?78°C., atactic polymer is obtained in n-hexane, a nonsolvent for α-methylstyrene, whereas highly stereoregular polymer is produced in toluene or methylene chloride, good solvents for the polymer. However, the polarity of the solvent and the nature of the catalyst hardly affect the stereoregularity of the polymer.