Separation and characterization of functional poly(n-butyl acrylate) by critical liquid chromatography

The separation of functional poly(n-butyl acrylate) (PnBA) polymers based on the number of end-groups under critical liquid chromatography (LC) conditions has been studied using a bare-silica column. The (near-) critical solvent compositions for non-, mono-, and difunctional (telechelic) carboxyl-PnBAs were determined in normal-phase LC, using mixtures of acetonitrile, acetic (or formic) acid, and dichloromethane of varying composition. Some formic or acetic acid had to be added to the mobile phase to elute PnBA polymers with carboxyl end-groups. The critical solvent compositions obtained were not exactly the same for non-, mono-, and difunctional PnBA polymers. These were unusual experimental observation, but they were in agreement with theoretic predictions. Nevertheless, low-molecular-mass PnBA samples were successfully separated according to the carboxyl functionality at (near-) critical conditions. With the aid of mass spectrometry (MS), the (near-) critical separation of low-molecular-mass PnBA polymers was confirmed to be mainly based on the carboxyl functionality. Calibration curves for evaporative light-scattering detection (ELSD) were used for quantitative analysis of carboxyl-functional PnBA polymers. The results proved that nearly ideal functionalities (average number of carboxyl end-groups per molecule up to 1.99) were achieved for telechelic PnBAs prepared by one-step reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerization of PnBA.     

Separation of polyethylene glycols and maleimide‐terminated polyethylene glycols by reversed‐phase liquid chromatography under critical conditions

The separation of polyethylene glycols and maleimide‐substituted polyethylene glycol derivatives based on the number of maleimide end‐groups under critical liquid chromatography conditions has been investigated on a reversed‐phase column. The critical solvent compositions for nonfunctional polyethylene glycols and bifunctional maleimide‐substituted polyethylene glycols were determined to be identical at about 40% acetonitrile in water on a reversed‐phase octadecyl carbon chain‐bonded silica column using mixtures of acetonitrile and water of varying composition as the mobile phase at 25°C. The maleimide‐functionalized polyethylene glycols were successfully separated according to maleimide functionality (with zero, one, two, or three maleimide end‐groups, respectively) under the critical isocratic elution conditions without obvious effect of molar mass. The separation was mainly due to the hydrophobic interaction between the maleimide end‐groups and the column packing. Off‐line matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry was used to identify the repeating units and, especially, the end‐groups of the maleimide‐substituted polyethylene glycols. Liquid chromatography analysis at critical conditions could provide useful information to optimize the synthesis of functional polyethylene glycols. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the baseline separation of maleimide‐functionalized polyethylene glycols based on the functionality independent of the molar mass without derivatization by isocratic elution.     

Quantitation of functionality of poly(methyl methacrylate) by liquid chromatography under critical conditions followed by evaporative light-scattering detection. Comparison with NMR and titration

Atom transfer radical polymerisation (ATRP) is a versatile 'living' controlled polymerisation technique for the synthesis of well-defined architectures such as block copolymers, gradient copolymers, hyperbranched polymers and telechelic polymers. ATRP provides control over molecular mass and molecular mass distribution and is suitable for the polymerisation of a wide variety of monomers, including methyl methacrylate. A chromatographic method was developed for an endgroup-based separation of low-molecular-mass poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), based on liquid chromatography under critical conditions. With this method the PMMA, irrespective of its low-molecular-mass, is separated according to endgroups (functionality) due to interactions of the polar endgroups with the non-modified silica based stationary phase. The different series were identified using on-line atmospheric pressure ionisation electrospray mass spectrometry and quantified by evaporative light scattering detection. These results were compared with those obtained by NMR and titration.     

Comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography for the characterization of functional acrylate polymers

Comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography-size-exclusion chromatography (LC x SEC) was investigated as a tool for the characterization of functional poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymers. Ultraviolet-absorbance and evaporative light-scattering detection (ELSD) were used. A simple method to quantify ELSD data is presented. Each data point from the ELSD chromatogram can be converted into a mass concentration using experimental calibration curves. The qualitative and quantitative information obtained on two representative samples is used to demonstrate the applicability of LC x SEC for determining the mutually dependent molar-mass distributions (MMD) and functionality-type distributions (FTD) of functional polymers. The influence of the molar mass on the retention behavior in LC was investigated using LC x SEC for hydroxyl-functional PMMA polymers. The critical conditions, at which retention is--by definition--independent of molar mass, were not exactly the same for PMMA series with different end-groups. Our observations are in close agreement with theoretical curves reported in the literature. However, for practical applications of LC x SEC it is not strictly necessary to work at the exact critical solvent composition. Near-critical conditions are often sufficient to determine the mutually dependent distributions (MMD and FTD) of functional polymers.     

Separation of epoxy resins by functionality types

Summary Along with molecular weight distribution (MWD), a telechelic polymer is to be characterised by functionality in the critical mode of separation (near the polymer adsorption critical point) FTD of sertain epoxy resins (ERs) brands have been analysed. Chemical modification of end groups and model synthesis help us to make interpretation of chromatograms.     

高效液相色谱表征高聚物*

最常用的测试高聚物的分子量和分子量分布的体积排除色谱(SEC)是高效液相色谱 (HPLC)的一个重要分支,HPLC的另一个重要分支是相互作用液相色谱, 它是20世纪90年代开始用于高分子分离和表征的研究领域。相互作用液相色谱可以根据高分子的化学结构（如共混物组成、共聚物组成、端基）来分离,它比SEC 有更高的分离效率。本文介绍了高聚物液相色谱的分离模式,并就高聚物体积排除色谱、相互作用液相色谱、临界液相色谱和全二维液相色谱用于分离和表征高聚物的研究进展进行了较系统的综述,并对该技术目前存在的问题和今后可能的发展前景进行了探讨。     

Microcolumn LC enantioseparation of chiral compounds using diol silica gel functionalized with vancomycin crystalline degradation products

Vancomycin crystalline degradation products (CDPs) have been introduced as one of the newest and most interesting derivatives of vancomycin for enantiomer separation of a wide variety of chiral compounds. In this attempt, a chiral stationary phase (CSP) has been prepared using diol silica gel based on vancomycin CDPs which led to a new chiral selector with new functionality of functional groups on a microcolumn LC. Different kinds of mobile phases were examined to realize the behavior of the chiral selector in separation of atropine, fluoxetine, amlodipine, mandelic acid, alanine, and phenylalanine which were separated successfully on this column. Good results were obtained by using a polar mobile phase containing water, methanol, and acid additives for separation of chiral acidic compounds and amino acid samples. Considerable results were obtained for analysis of basic compounds by using polar organic mobile phase (POP) containing methanol, acid and base additives. These results can be associated with the presence of the carboxylic acid groups present in new CSP by using a diol silica gel.     

Polymer networks containing polyether,polyamine or polysulfide chains

An overview of newer or less-known synthetic methods for the synthesis of polymer networks containing ether, amine or sulfide functions or a combination of these functional groups with other functional groups, is presented. Emphasis is given on new methods starting from well - defined telechelic prepolymers. A number of these prepolymers are obtained by living cationic systems, more particularly cationic ring-opening and cationic vinyl ether polymerizations.     

Well-defined liquid crystal gels from telechelic polymers

Well-defined liquid crystal networks with controlled molecular weight between cross-links and cross-link functionality were prepared by "click" cross-linking of telechelic polymers produced by ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP). The networks readily swell in a small molecule liquid crystal, 5CB, to form LC gels with high swelling ratios. These gels exhibit fast, reversible, and low-threshold optic switching under applied electric fields when they are unconstrained between electrodes. For a given electric field, the LC gels prepared from shorter telechelic polymers showed a reduced degree of switching than their counterparts made from longer polymer strands. The reported approach provides control over important parameters for LC networks, such as the length of the network strands between cross-links, cross-linker functionality, and mesogen density. Therefore, it allows a detailed study of relationships between molecular structure and macroscopic properties of these scientifically and technologically interesting networks.     

Liquid chromatographic analysis of nucleosides and their mono-, di- and triphosphates using porous graphitic carbon stationary phase coupled with electrospray mass spectrometry

Analysis of nucleosides and nucleotides is desirable in many biological studies, but the task is analytically challenging due to the high polarity of the analytes. In this study, resolution of mixtures containing nucleosides and their mono-, di- and triphosphates was achieved using a porous graphitic carbon (PGC) stationary phase, Hypercarb, under conditions suitable for liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS). Different organic mobile phases and modifiers were evaluated and the separation of 16 nucleosides and nucleotides was optimized using gradient elution with a water/acetonitrile mobile phase containing ammonium acetate and diethylamine as modifiers. The ammonium acetate concentration proved to be critical for retention and diethylamine was found to improve the peak shapes of di- and triphosphates for mass spectrometric detection. A variety of silica-based columns designed for polar compound separation were also tested using optimized LC conditions and compared with results obtained with the Hypercarb column. Only the Hypercarb column provided separations suitable for accurate quantitation of mixed nucleosides and their phosphates.     

Synthesis of triphenylsilyl- and triphenylmethyl-telechelic polyisobutylene: An approach to the synthesis of multi-ion telechelic ionomers

Triphenylsilyl- and triphenylmethyl-telechelic polyisobutylene (PIB) were prepared by lithiation of three-arm star PIBs carrying either olefinic or tert-alkyl chloride end groups, followed by reaction with triphenylsilyl chloride or triphenylcarbenium ion, respectively. Since the lithiated intermediate is a substituted allylic carbanion, the chain end also possesses a double bond which is located β-γ relative to the silyl or triphenylmethyl group. The phenyl groups were incorporated into the polymers to provide extra sites for sulfonation, in addition to the double bond, to enable the synthesis of multi-ion telechelic ionomers. ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy showed that triphenylsilylation and triphenylmethylation were essentially quantitative when applied under the prescribed conditions to either the model compound, 2,4,4-trimethyl-1-pentene, or to the telechelic PIBs. It was observed that exhaustive sulfonation of these materials using acetyl sulfate or chlorosulfonic acid yielded only about 50% sulfonation of the available sites. This suggests that sulfonation of closely adjacent, multiple sites within the same molecule fails due to deactivation of the remaining sites after one or perhaps two sulfonations. However, the triphenylsilyl- and triphenylmethyl-telechelic PIBs represent novel prepolymers which can perhaps be derivatized by some method other than sulfonation, and the general concept for producing telechelic ionomer precursors with multiple sulfonation sites may prove successful with other moieties containing spacer groups between sites. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Semi‐interpenetrating polymer networks based on polyurethane and polymethacrylate functional prepolymers: Morphology and mechanical properties in dependence of the concentration of functional groups

Grafted semi‐interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) were prepared from polyurethane (PU) prepolymers with polyester soft segments and hard segments containing carboxylic functional groups as well as polymethacrylate (PM) prepolymers with tertiary amine functional groups. The dependence of morphological and mechanical properties on the concentration of functional groups was studied. The enhanced miscibility of PU and PM prepolymers was observed at concentrations of functional groups of 0.25 mmol/g of polymer and above. Despite the improved miscibility, the PM prepolymers showed a tendency toward phase separation. Because the observed glass‐transition temperature shifts of PU prepolymers indicated substantial miscibility, we ascribed this phenomenon to the presence of methyl methacrylate rich sequences in the PM prepolymer. The observed changes in mechanical properties by increasing the content of functional groups were typical for ionomers. Young's modulus increased as a result of physical interactions between functional groups. A significant drop in tensile strength was observed in IPN samples with phase‐separated PU and PM prepolymers. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 115–123, 2002     

Open-tubular nanoelectrochromatography (OT-NEC): gel-free separation of single stranded DNAs (ssDNAs) in thermoplastic nanochannels

Electrophoresis or electrochromatography carried out in nanometer columns (width and depth) offers some attractive benefits compared to microscale columns. These advantages include unique separation mechanisms that are scale dependent, fast separation times, and simpler workflow due to the lack of a need for column packing and/or wall coatings to create a stationary phase. We report the use of thermoplastics, in this case PMMA, as the substrate for separating single-stranded DNAs (ssDNAs). Electrophoresis nanochannels were created in PMMA using nanoimprint lithography (NIL), which can produce devices at lower cost and in a higher production mode compared to the fabrication techniques required for glass devices. The nanochannel column in PMMA was successful in separating ssDNAs in free solution that was not possible using microchip electrophoresis in PMMA. The separation could be performed in <1 s with resolution >1.5 when carried out using at an electric field strength of 280 V/cm and an effective column length of 60 μm (100 nm × 100 nm, depth and width). The ssDNAs transport through the PMMA column was driven electrokinetically under the influence of an EOF. The results indicated that the separation was dominated by chromatographic effects using an open tubular nano-electrochromatography (OT-NEC) mode of separation. Interesting to these separations was that no column packing was required nor a wall coating to create the stationary phase; the separation was affected using the native polymer that was UV/O₃ activated and an aqueous buffer mobile phase.     

New telechelic polymers and sequential copolymers by polyfunctional initiator-transfer agents (inifers). XXX. Synthesis and quantitative terminal functionalization of α,ω-diarylpolyisobutylenes

Novel aromatic-telechelic polyisobutylenes were prepared and characterized: α,ω-diphenylpolyisobutylene, α-phenyl-ω-tolylpolyisobutylene, and α,ωditolylpolyisobutylene. The syntheses involved the preparation of asymmetric telechelic prepolymers (α-phenyl-ω-tert-chloropolyisobutylene and α-tolyl-ω-tert-chloropolyisobutylene) by the minifer method and quantitative alkylation of benzene and toluene by the prepolymer. The terminal aromatic rings of these telechelic polyisobutylenes were quantitatively nitrated, acetylated, and chlorosulfonated and a series of further novel telechelic products was obtained. Characterization of these derivatives provided additional proof for the telechelic structure of the starting prepolymers. The quantitative reduction of nitroaryl-telechelic polyisobutylene by SnCl₂/HCl led to aminoaryl-telechelic polyisobutylene which was used to cure bisphenol-A diglycidyl ether. These new flexible epoxy networks exhibited outstanding heat and hydrolytic stability combined with satisfactory mechanical properties.     

Lattice cluster theory of associating polymers. IV. Phase behavior of telechelic polymer solutions

The newly developed lattice cluster theory (in Paper I) for the thermodynamics of solutions of telechelic polymers is used to examine the phase behavior of these complex fluids when effective polymer-solvent interactions are unfavorable. The telechelics are modeled as linear, fully flexible, polymer chains with mono-functional stickers at the two chain ends, and these chains are assumed to self-assemble upon cooling. Phase separation is generated through the interplay of self-assembly and polymer/solvent interactions that leads to an upper critical solution temperature phase separation. The variations of the boundaries for phase stability and the critical temperature and composition are analyzed in detail as functions of the number M of united atom groups in a telechelic chain and the microscopic nearest neighbor interaction energy ε(s) driving the self-assembly. The coupling between self-assembly and unfavorable polymer/solvent interactions produces a wide variety of nontrivial patterns of phase behavior, including an enhancement of miscibility accompanying the increase of the molar mass of the telechelics under certain circumstances. Special attention is devoted to understanding this unusual trend in miscibility.     

Liquid chromatography of macromolecules at the point of exclusion — Adsorption transition. Principle,experimental procedures and queries concerning feasibility of method

Liquid Chromatography of macromolecules at the Point of Exclusion-Adsorption Transition (LC PEAT) called also liquid chromatography under critical conditions of adsorption or liquid chromatography at the critical point of adsorption is a new and rapidly developing technique that - in combination with some other LC separation procedures - allows separation and molecular characterization of many complex polymer systems as polymer blends, interpolymers or functionalized oligomers. In this critical discussion review, the principles of LC PEAT are briefly elucidated and the nomenclature of some terms connected with the technique is proposed. The most important experimental procedures as eluent and column packing selection are described in detail. The weakpoints of method are discussed in terms of the sensitivity of results towards minute eluent composition, temperature and pressure changes, as well as towards both chemical and physical structure of separated macromolecules and column packing used. The peak broadening, skewing and splitting that often accompany the LC PEAT experiments are also outlined. Above - mentioned, so far mostly overlooked problems may lead to limited repeatability of results and to low sample recovery, especially at higher polymer molar mass values, thus causing queries concerning the broader applicability and experimental feasibility of method, on the other hand these problems can also be regarded as a challenge to both theoreticians and experimentalists who can substantially contribute to the improvement of this powerful method - and thus to its widespread application.     

CE-ESI-MS of biological anions in plastic capillaries at high pH

In this study, the potential of poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA, Plexiglas) and polyether ether ketone (PEEK) tubing for CE-ESI-MS separations of anions at high pH values was examined. A set of model compounds of biological interest was used to investigate the main operational parameters for CE-ESI-MS, such as the sheath-flow interface design, the polarity of the ionization voltage, the use of ammonia-based separation electrolytes, and the sheath liquid composition. Optimum separations and detection sensitivities in negative ESI mode were obtained using a running electrolyte of 75 mM of ammonia at pH 11 and a sheath liquid of 60:40 v/v or 75:25 v/v isopropanol/water with 0.5% v/v of ammonia. At these experimental conditions, PMMA and PEEK capillaries show good hydrolytic stabilities and lower EOF values than fused-silica columns. Better separation resolutions were obtained with PMMA capillary, but this plastic rapidly swelled and bled because of its limited chemical resistance to the sheath liquid. PMMA columns equipped with a fused-silica tip were used for a safer exposure to the sheath liquid, but the inner surface of the fused-silica tips had limited stability at pH 11. On the other hand, good separations and reproducibility on migration times and peak areas were obtained using PEEK capillaries without capillary column deterioration.     

Alternating Sequence Control for Carboxylic Acid and Hydroxy Pendant Groups by Controlled Radical Cyclopolymerization of a Divinyl Monomer Carrying a Cleavable Spacer

By utilizing features of the hemiacetal ester (HAE) bond: easy formation from vinyl ether and carboxylic acid and easy cleavage into different functional groups (‐COOH and ‐OH), we achieved control of the alternating sequence of two functional pendant groups of a vinyl copolymer. Methacrylate‐ and acrylate‐based vinyl groups were connected through HAE bonds to prepare a cleavable divinyl monomer, which was cyclo‐polymerized under optimized conditions in a ruthenium‐catalyzed living radical polymerization. Subsequent cleavage of the HAE bonds in the resultant cyclo‐pendant led to a copolymer consisting of alternating methacrylic acid and 2‐hydroxyethyl acrylate units as analyzed by ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The alternating sequence of ‐COOH and ‐OH pendants specifically provided a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) in an ether solvent, which was not observed with the random copolymer of same composition ratio.     

Functionality and Functionality Distribution Measurements of Binder Prepolymers

Abstract

The functionality of a prepolymer, which is defined as the ratio of molecular weight to equivalent weight, is probably the most important single parameter that determines the properties of the cross-linked polymer network. The determination of prepolymer functionality therefore requires accurate knowledge of both number average molecular weight and equivalent weight. Ideally, a suitable prepolymer for propellant binder applications has terminal functionality (OH or COOH). Such a prepolymer theoretically has a functionality of 2.0. Because of uncontrolled chain termination reactions during the prepolymer synthesis, however, not all polymer chains have the desired functional end group. As a result, prepolymers generally have a distribution of functionalities, including onfunctional, monofunctional, and the desired difunctional prepolymer.     

Short capillary ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray (tandem) mass spectrometry for the simultaneous analysis of nucleoside mono-, di- and triphosphates

A liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) method for the analysis of complex mixtures of nucleoside mono-, di- and triphosphates has been developed. A short capillary column (35mm x 0.3mm i.d.) was operated under ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography conditions and hyphenated to (negative) electrospray (tandem) mass spectrometry. As such, the separation of 12 nucleotides was performed by a binary gradient elution using CH(3)OH/H(2)O and N,N-dimethylhexylamine (N,N-DMHA) as ion-pairing agent. The influence of different N,N-DMHA concentrations on the chromatographic and mass spectrometric performance was evaluated to achieve optimal LC/MS conditions. In addition it was demonstrated that a controlled admission of ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (NH(4)H(2)PO(4)) improved both chromatographic performance and mass spectrometric detection. Because the system was hyphenated to an orthogonal designed electrospray interface (Z-spraytrade mark), long acquisition times were possible without loss of sensitivity.