A Theoretical Study of the Star-Coupling Reaction of Polymer Chains

The set of kinetic differential equations for star-coupling of polymers have been solved rigorously both with and without the effect of steric hindrance. The relations between the molecular parameters of star-branched polymers and those of prepolymers are derived. When the star-coupling reaction goes quantitatively to completion, the same theoretical result was obtained, no matter whether there is steric hindrance or not. In this case, the more arms in the star-branched polymer, the more homogeneous is the molecular weight distribution; if the number of arms is large enough, the molecular weight distribution will become very narrow and almost be independent of the polydispersity of the arms.     

THE RELATION OF SEQUENCE DISTRIBUTIONS OF S-SBR TO ITS MOLECULAR WEIGHT DISTRIBUTIONS

The relationship between sequence distributions and molecular weight distributions of S-SBR, obtained from styrene and butadiene anionic copolymerization at various conversions with THF/Li~+ as an initiator has been studied by ~(13)C-NMR,GPC. The results showed that the molecular weight distributions of the copolymer couldbe correlated sophisticatedly to the binary sequcne distributions or the monomer unit distributions of the copolymer in a corrected Poisson's distribution from.     

Anionic synthesis of well-defined polymer blends by controlled chain-transfer reactions

The scope and limitations of controlled chain transfer reactions in living anionic polymerization have been investigated. In contrast to the random nature of normal chain transfer reactions, this procedure first effects controlled living anionic polymerization followed by addition of a stoichiometric amount of suitable chain transfer agent when the monomer has been completely consumed. The resulting anionic species is then used to initiated polymerization of a second monomer charge with the same monomer or with a different monomer. A variety of hydrocarbon acids and amine compounds with pKa values in the range of 30–40 have been evaluated as chain transfer agents in the presence and absence of coordinating ligands. Efficient chain transfer to poly(styryl)lithium has been observed using 1,1-diphenylpropane. Reinitiation efficiency to both styrene and butadiene monomer was quantitative and controlled blends of different molecular weight polystyrenes or blends of polystyrene with polybutadiene have been prepared. The use of these chain transfer reactions to prepare functionalized polymers has also been investigated.     

Experimental branching results for diene polymers by use of gel-permeation chromatography

Branching analyses in styrene–butadiene rubbers and polybutadiene rubbers have revealed large differences in branching between rubbers polymerized in different ways. The functionalities of several star-branched solution-polymerized styrene–butadiene rubbers were calculated and compared to their expected structures. Emulsion-polymerized polybutadiene rubber and a series of solution-polymerized polybutadienes made with different catalysts had different degrees of random branching, and evidence is presented indicating that the different available catalyst systems provide some latitude in making rubbers of different branching contents. Random branching analyses on a series of emulsion-polymerized styrene–butadiene rubbers revealed the dependency of branching on molecular weight and molecular weight distribution. The influence of polymerization temperature on the branching of emulsion-polymerized styrene–butadiene rubber was also studied.     

CONTROLLED ANIONIC SYNTHESIS OF FUNCTIONALIZED AND STAR-BRANCHED POLYMERS

The use of living, alkyllithium-initiated anionic polymerization to prepare chain-end functionalized polymers and heteroarm, star-branched polymers is discussed. The scope and limitations of specific termination reactions with a variety of electrophilic species are illustrated for carbonation, hydroxyethylation, amination, and sulfonation. The methodology of using substituted 1,1-diphenylethylenes to provide a general, quantitative functionalization procedure is outlined and illustrated with examples of amine and phenol end-functionalization. A methodology is described for the synthesis of functionalized, star-branched copolymers with compositionally heterogeneous arms of controlled molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distribution using 1, 3-bis(1-pbenylethenyl) benzene.     

119Sn-NMR evidence for 2,1-initiation in the anionic polymerization of butadiene with trialkyltin lithium

Low molecular weight polybutadienes and styrene butadiene copolymers were anionically prepared with trialkyltin lithium initiator and end-capped with either hydrogen or a trialkyltin group. These polymers were prepared with a variety of microstructures. Analysis by ¹¹⁹Sn-NMR and comparison to model compounds showed no cis-1,4-initiation of the butadiene. The initiation sites found were trans-1,4- and both 2,1- and 1,2-additions of the tin-lithium bound to a 1,3-butadiene. At low levels of added polar modifier, the 2,1-addition predominated. The ¹¹⁹Sn-NMR spectra allowed the assignment of the sequence distribution associated with the nearest eight main chain carbon atoms (2-4 monomer units) adjacent to the tin end groups. No initiation could be detected involving the styrene comonomer, but incorporation of styrene was detected as the first or second unit after initiation. The reaction of the allyl-tin end groups of these polymers with 1,2-napthoquinone was followed by NMR and was used to assign the peaks associated with 1,2-addition of the trialkyltin lithium to 1,3-butadiene. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis of asymmetric star-branched polymers consisting of three or four different segments in composition by means of living anionic polymerization with a new dual-functionalized 1,1-bis(3-chloromethylphenyl)ethylene

A series of four-armed A₂BC, AB₂C, and ABC₂ asymmetric star-branched polymers with a three-component system, the A, B, and C segments of which are polystyrene, polyisoprene, and poly(4-trimethylsilylstyrene), respectively, have been successfully synthesized with a methodology based on living anionic polymerization with dual-functionalized 1,1-bis(3-chloromethylphenyl)ethylene ( 1 ). These star-branched polymers have well-defined architectures and precisely controlled chain lengths, as confirmed by size exclusion chromatography, ¹H and ¹³C NMR, vapor pressure osmometry, and static light scattering analyses. A simple and convenient one-pot process for star-branched polymer synthesis is an additional advantage of this methodology. One problem to be solved is that the synthetic route is limited in some cases by the inherently low reactivity of polyisoprenyllithium toward the 1,1-diphenylethylene functionality of in-chain-functionalized polymers. A new four-armed ABCD star-branched polymer, the A, B, C, and D segments of which are polyisoprene, poly(4-methoxystyrene), polystyrene, and poly(4-trimethylsilylstyrene), could also be synthesized through the extension of the methodology using 1 to a four-component system. The successful results strongly demonstrate the synthetic versatility and potential of this methodology for a wide variety of well-defined asymmetric star-branched polymers. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 4535–4547, 2004     

Quantitative synthesis of star-shaped poly(vinyl ether)s with a narrow molecular weight distribution by living cationic polymerization

Star-shaped poly(vinyl ether)s with narrow molecular weight distributions were obtained from polymer-linking reactions of living polymers with a divinyl compound based on living cationic polymerization. For example, living polymers (DP(n) = 50-300) of isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE), prepared with a cationogen/EtAlCl(2) at 0 degrees C in hexane in the presence of ethyl acetate, were allowed to react with a small amount of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol divinyl ether (DVE-1) to give a star-shaped poly(IBVE) in quantitative yield (100%). In addition, a notable feature of this star-shaped polymer was extremely narrow molecular weight distribution (M(w)/M(n) = 1.1-1.2). The structure of divinyl compounds and reaction conditions for the linking reaction are key factors for achieving quantitative yield of star-shaped polymers. To our best knowledge, this is the first example of selective preparation of star-shaped polymers with narrow molecular weight distribution via one-pot polymer-linking reactions, which has never been achieved in any other mechanisms. The M(w) and the number of arms per molecule ranged from 6 x 10(4) to 30 x 10(4) and 9 to 44, respectively. Thermosensitive star polymers were also synthesized in quantitative yield, and the products were found to undergo sensitive phase separation and physical gelation.     

Star-shaped polymers with a doubled fullerene (C60) branching center

Star-shaped regular homopolystyrenes with 22 arms and heteroarm polymers with 12 PS arms and 10 poly(2-vinypyridine) arms have been synthesized by consecutive coupling-functionalization-coupling reactions. The synthesis includes the following stages: the exhaustive grafting of fullerene C₆₀ by polystyryllithium chains (living hexaadducts); the coupling of hexaadducts with the use of dimethyldichlorosilane or 1,4-dibromobutane into twelve-arm macromolecules, where the branching center is composed of two covalently bonded fullerene C₆₀ molecules; functionalization of twelve-arm double-core PS stars during the action of excess dihalides (the replacement of lithium atoms with groups containing chlorine or bromine atoms); and the coupling of living chains of PS or poly(2-vinylpyridine) via reactions with halogen-containing groups at the branching center of double-core PS stars. Linear living polymers used as arms have been prepared by anionic polymerization. Exclusion chromatography has been used to control the individual stages of synthesis. The molecular characteristics of the PS precursor and of star-shaped polymers have been studied in terms of hydrodynamics and light scattering.     

Anionic polymerization initiated by lithium diethylamide in organic solvents. III. Investigation of the polymerization of styrene

The polymerization of styrene, initiated by lithium diethylamide in mixtures of benzene and THF, has been investigated. Kinetic and molecular weight measurements are interpreted on the basis of simultaneous initiation and propagation steps, and the effect of solvation and coordination processes on these reactions is discussed. Initiation of polymerization is thought to involve addition of solvated lithium diethylamide ion-airs to styrene, giving species with diethylamide end groups. The possible influence of these end groups on the initiation is considered in terms of an intramolecular cyclization process. Propagation of polymerization is believed to involve polystyryllithium ion-pairs, solvated to varying extents by THF. No evidence has been found to suggest that chain transfer, or termination, reactions are an integral part of the polymerization process. The polymerization has a number of similarities to the alkyllithium-initiated polymerization of styrene, but also exhibits some interesting differences.     

Second virial coefficients of homopolymers and copolymers of butadiene and styrene in tetrahydrofuran

Second virial coefficients have been measured in tetrahydrofuran for a series of anionically polymerized narrow distribution homopolymers and copolymers of butadiene and styrene. The results fit the general empirical equation A₂ = M^?1/4(0.0216w_B + 0.00995w_S + Cw_Bw_S), where M is the polymer molecular weight, w_B and w_s are the weight fractions of butadiene and styrene, and C is a constant which is zero for block polymers and equal to 7.9 × 10^—3 for random copolymers. The equation is independent of the degree of 1,2 addition of butadiene and fits data on both linear and tetrachain star-branched polymers within experimental error.     

Method of determining the degree of branching from the gel permeation chromatogram for star-shaped SBS thermoplastic block copolymers

A novel GPC calculation method has been developed for characterizing star-shaped styrene–butadiene block copolymers (SBS). This method enables us to determine the degree of branching (number of arms per molecule) of the synthesized polymer without the need of a priori measurement of the true molecular weights of the SBS star polymer and its linear polymeric arm. To illustrate the simplicity of this method, nearly monodispersed three-arm and four-arm model star polymers have been purposely synthesized by linking living diblock polymeric arms of the polystyrene-block-polybutadiene type with silicon tetrachloride as the multifunctional linking agent. The good agreement between the degree of branching calculated from the GPC chromatogram and that actually measured by MALL (multiple angle laser light scattering) has corroborated the validity of the calculation method. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 3393–3401, 1997     

Anionic Polymerization of α-Methylstyrene. IX. Nature of the Propagating Species

Abstract

The nature of the initiating and propagating species involved in the anionic polymerization of α-methylstyrene has been explored. The earlier hypothesis that multimodal GPC molecular weight distributions in polymers arise solely out of different reaction steps or different ion-pair mechanisms being involved has been modified for poly-α-methylstyrene. Multimodal GPC molecular weight distributions in poly-α-methylstyrene initiated with potassium at 25°C and polymerized at 25°C or higher in THF, p-dioxane, or cyclohexane as solvents have been ascribed to the presence of two different types of tetramers which grow simultaneously but at different rates, each responding to its own well-defined thermodynamic equilibrium and yielding dormant and living polymers. Reaction schemes describing the initiation (at 25°C) and propagation reactions (between -25 and 60°C) in the polymerization (in solution of THF as well as in bulk) of α-methylstyrene initiated with potassium-naphthalene, butyl-lithium, and butyllithium-tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA) have been presented. The role of coordinating agents naphthalene and TMEDA in changing irreversible propagations into reversible ones has been emphasized.     

Synthesis of star-branched oligomers by reaction of oligobutadienyllithium with diesters and epoxidized soyabean oil

Anionic polymerization can produce branches with low molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distributions. Post polymerization linking involving the still active chain ends can then be done to produce branched oligomers with a predetermined number of arms. These species are then excellent model compounds for testing high molecular weight branches. Here we chose the reaction of oligobutadienyllithium with ethyl acetate, dimethyl adipatc, diethyl adipatc, dimethyl phthalatcand epoxidized soyabean oil. For the last linking agent, we compared the result obtained with a high molecular weight poly(styryl-b-butadienyl)lithium.     

Multidisciplinary characterization of novel emulsion polymers

A series of novel emulsion styrene‐butadiene copolymer blends were characterized using a multidisciplinary approach involving both analytical and rheological measurements. The blends were composed of 50/50 w/w high molecular weight (ca. 800,000 Da) ESBR and low molecular weight (ca. 200,000 Da) ESBR, each component having a different bound styrene level. When the difference in bound styrene between the two components was greater than 18%, a two phase co‐continuous morphology was observed by scanning probe microscopy, consistent with two glass transitions measured by temperature modulated DSC. Molecular weight and molecular weight distributions were characterized by both size exclusion chromatography and thermal field flow fractionation with multiangle light scattering detection. ThFFF was unique in its ability to detect ultra‐high molecular weight (> 10⁷ Da) fractions suggesting that traditional SEC often under‐estimates polymer molecular weight. Blending polymers of different molecular weights and styrene levels resulted in reduced molecular weight between entanglements which, based on rheological measurements, would be expected to improve processability.     

Thermolytic behaviour of polybutadienyllithium and polystyryllithium in ethylbenzene at high concentrations

The polymerization of butadiene and styrene with lithium and lithium alkyls has been extensively studied. The kinetics and mechanism of the pyrolysis of alkyllithium compounds has also been investigated thoroughly. The mechanism of these elimination reactions is conveniently elucidated by manometric methods, and mechanistic interpretations have been proposed. However, there are less published accounts of the thermal stability of polymer-lithium systems. There is a need to have kinetic data describing the thermal termination of “living” polymers at lithium concentrations approaching those of commercial polymerization systems. This paper will discuss the thermal stabilities of concentrated solutions in ethylbenzene of polystyryllithium and polybutadienyllithium.     

Copolymerization of N,N‐Dimethylacrylamide with Styrene and Butadiene: The First Example of Polar Growing Chain End/Nonpolar Monomer Cross‐Initiation

Living potassium poly(N,N‐dimethylacrylamide) initiates the polymerization of styrene and butadiene, and adds 1,1‐diphenylethylene in THF solution. The model compound α‐potassio‐N,N‐dimethylpropionamide also polymerizes styrene and butadiene in contrast to esterenolates, which are known to be incapable of such reactions. The IR spectra and SEC traces of the polymers obtained unequivocally prove that styrene and butadiene initiation proceeds directly via the amidoenolate anion. Apparently, this is the first case observed where the polymerization of a nonpolar monomer can be initiated by the growing chain end of a polar polymer.     

Synthesis of new telechelic oligomers and macro-monomers by “constructive degradation”

Telechelic acrylic oligomers possessing terminal carboxylic acid, ketone, aldehyde or hydroxy groups can be synthesised in good yields by the ozonolysis of free radical copolymers of the appropriate acrylic monomer with a small amount of a 1,3-diene, such as butadiene, 2,3-dimethyl-butadiene or 2,3-diphenyl-butadiene. The oligomers so-prepared have high end-functionalities (>98%), controllable average molecular weights, relatively narrow molecular weight distributions, and can be chain extended by a variety of means to give back high molecular weight polymers. Oligomers with perfect α-phenyl ketone-ω-carboxylic acid functionality can be prepared by ozonolysing copolymers containing low concentrations of units derived from phenyl acetylene. Photolysis of copolymers of an alkyl vinyl ketone with monomers such as styrene yield, directly, oligomers with polymerisable unsaturated end-groups, i.e. macromonomers.     

Successive Synthesis of Well-Defined Star-Branched Polymers by “Convergent” Iterative Methodology Using Core-Functionalized 3-Arm Star-Branched Polymer and a Specially Designed 1,1-Diphenylethylene Derivative

The synthesis of well-defined regular and miktoarm star-branched polymers by a convergent iterative methodology using core-functionalized 3-arm star-branched polymer with 1,1-diphenylethylene (DPE) moiety and a specially designed DPE derivative is described. The methodology involves the following two reaction steps in the entire iterative synthetic sequence: 1) a coupling reaction of a star-branched polymer having an anion at the core with a DPE derivative with two benzyl bromide moieties, 1-{4-[5,5-bis(3-bromomethylphenyl)-7-methylnonyl]phenyl}-1-phenylethylene, and 2) an addition reaction of the resulting core-DPE-functionalized star-branched polymer with sec-BuLi to convert the DPE moiety to a DPE-derived anion. The iterative synthetic sequence including these two reaction steps, 1) and 2), was repeated to successively synthesize star-branched polymers with more arms. Iteration of this synthetic sequence doubled the number of the arms in the star-branched polymer. With this methodology, 6-arm, 12-arm, and 14-arm regular star-branched polystyrenes as well as 6-arm A₂B₂C₂, A₄B₂, and 12-arm A₄B₄C₄ and A₈B₄ miktoarm star-branched polymers with well-defined structures have been successfully synthesized.     

过程控制对反应挤出苯乙烯/丁二烯共聚物微观结构的影响

在有机锂引发体系下,以双螺杆挤出机为反应器,苯乙烯(St)、丁二烯(Bd)混和物作为单体,四氢呋喃(THF)为极性调节剂,本体法一步合成了苯乙烯/丁二烯(S/B)共聚物.采用过氧化氢在四氧化锇作用下对聚合物分子链中Bd双键进行了深度氧化降解,通过精制除去降解的低分子产物.利用18角度小角激光光散射仪联用GPC对降解前后的样品进行分析.结果表明与通常规律相左,THF的加入使共聚物的分子量分布加宽,同时使降解后的聚苯乙烯(PS)第一嵌段分子量降低.由1H-NMR谱图计算得知,THF使1,2-聚丁二烯(PBd)比例明显增加,但THF/引发剂摩尔比值超过一定量后,1,2-PBd含量增加趋势减缓.TEM分析结果表明THF的加入导致PBd相尺寸变小而且分布趋向均匀,再次表现出过程控制分子结构的特色.