Synthesis of low polydispersity polybutadiene and polyethylene stars by convergent living anionic polymerization

Star‐shaped polybutadiene stars were synthesized by a convergent coupling of polybutadienyllithium with 4‐(chlorodimethylsilyl)styrene (CDMSS). CDMSS was added slowly and continuously to the living anionic chains until a stoichiometric equivalent was reached. Gel permeation chromatography‐multi‐angle laser light scattering (GPC‐MALLS) was used to determine the molecular weights and molecular weight distribution of the polybutadiene polymers. The number of arms incorporated into the star depended on the molecular weight of the initial chains and the rate of addition of the CDMSS. Low molecular weight polybutadiene arms (M_n = 640 g/mol) resulted in polybutadiene star polymers with an average of 12.6 arms, while higher molecular weight polybutadiene arms (M_n = 16,000 g/mol) resulted in polybutadiene star polymers with an average of 5.3 arms. The polybutadiene star polymers exhibited high 1,4‐polybutadiene microstructure (88.3–93.1%), and narrow molecular weight distributions (M_w/M_n = 1.11–1.20). Polybutadiene stars were subsequently hydrogenated by two methods, heterogeneous catalysis (catalytic hydrogenation using Pd/CaCO₃) or reaction with p‐toluenesulfonhydrazide (TSH), to transform the polybutadiene stars into polyethylene stars. The hydrogenation of the polybutadiene stars was found to be close to quantitative by ¹H NMR and FTIR spectroscopy. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 828–836, 2006     

A flash photolysis study of the rate of the reaction OH + CH4 → CH3 + H2O over an extended temperature range

A flash photolysis system has been used to study the rate of reaction (1), OH + CH₄ → CH₃ + H₂O, using time-resolved resonance absorption to monitor OH. The temperature was varied between 300 and 900°K. It is found that the Arrhenius plot of k₁ is strongly curved and k₁ (T) can best be represented by the expression The apparent Arrhenius activation energy changes from 15±1 kJ/mole at 300°K to 32±2 kJ/mole at 1000°K. On either side of our temperature range, both absolute rates and their temperature dependence are in good agreement with the results from most previous investigations.     

A kinetic study of the thermal elimination of hydrogen fluoride from 1,2-difluoroethane. Determination of the bond dissociation energies D(CH2F?CH2F) and D(CH2F?H).

The kinetics of the thermal elimination of HF from 1,2-difluoroethane have been studied in a static system over the temperature range 734–820°K. The reaction was shown to be first order and homogeneous, with a rate constant of where θ = 2.303RT in kcal/mole. The A-factor falls within the normal range for such reactions and is in line with transition state theory; the activation energy is similarly consistent with an estimate based on data for the analogous reactions of ethyl fluoride and other alkyl halides. The above activation energy has been compared with values of the critical energy calculated from data on the decomposition of chemically activated 1,2-difluoroethane by the RRKM theory and the bond dissociation energy, D(CH₂F? CH₂F) = 88 ± 2 kcal/mole, derived. It follows from thermochemistry that ΔH_f⁰(CH₂F) = -7.8 and D(CH₂F? H) = 101 ± 2 kcal/mole. Bond dissociation energies in fluoromethanes and fluoroethanes are discussed.     

Addition of methyl radicals to carbon monoxide: Chemically and thermally activated decomposition of acetyl radicals

Chemically activated acetyl radicals, with an excitation energy of 78 kJ/mole, were formed by the addition of methyl radicals to carbon monoxide. At 273·K the pressure required to stabilize one half of the excited radicals was 500 torr. From measurements of the acetyl radical yield at pressures in the range of 700–2100 torr, and at temperatures in the range of 260–413 K, extrapolations to infinite pressure yielded kinetic parameters for the addition of methyl radicals to carbon monoxide, and for the thermal decomposition of acetyl radicals. The rate constants were found to be log k[cm³ / (mole·s)] = 11.2–25(kJ/mole/2.3) RT, and log k(s^?1) = 13.5?72 (kJ/mole)/2.3RT, respectively. Estimated thermochemical properties of the acetyl radical are ΔH_fº = ?17 kJ/mole and Sº = 262 J/K°mole.     

Thermal degradation of cellulose in nitrogen

The thermal degradation of four different forms of cellulose in nitrogen has been studied by using a thermobalance. In TG experiments a total weight loss at 900°C was 80% in the cases of film and pulp samples and 83% for two powder forms. The results for the isothermal degradation of the four samples at 270°C are plotted as degree of degradation α against reduced time t/t_0.5 and compared with the master plots of Sharp, Brindley, and Achar. The experimental data fit most closely the plot for the Avrami-Erofeev equation in the form kt = {–ln (1–α)}^1/n where n = 2. An activation energy of 144 kJ/mole has been found for the degradation of one of the celluloses from the results of isothermal runs at six different temperatures. It is postulated here that the thermal degradation occurs by random nucleation and nucleus growth in the cellulose fibrils so as to yield a carbon whose microporous structure is a replica of the pore system in the parent cellulose.     

Etude de copolymères ABS (acrylonitrile–butadiène–styrène): Solvatation préférentielle du polybutadiène par les promoteurs

ABS resins formed by copolymerization of styrene and acrylonitrile (AN) in presence of polybutadiene, consist of a mixture of SAN graft copolymer on polybutadiene (PBut) and of ungrafted SAN copolymer (styrene-co-acrylonitrile). The kinetic study was completed by showing a preferential solvation of polybutadiene by the initiator. This solvation effect was studied as a function of the concentration ratio SAN/PBut and in relation with the type of initiator. The adsorption of initiator appeared to be maximum when its solubility parameter (σ) is close to that of polybutadiene. As a function of the polybutadiene characteristics, this selective adsorption can be given by where I₁ is the quantity of initiator in the polybutadiene medium, I is the total amount of peroxide, [PBut] is the concentration of polybutadiene, and M?_n its molecular weight. It has been shown furthermore that the preferential solvation of polybutadiene by the benzoyl peroxide can be increased by addition of SAN or acrylonitrile. The consequences of this solvation effect on the characteristics of the grafting reaction, more precisely on the molecular weight of grafted and ungrafted SAN and on the rate of polymerization, were examined.     

A differential scanning calorimeter study of the crystal forms and polymerization kinetics of 2,4-hexadiynyl-1,6-bis(p-toluenesulfonate)

The thermal properties of 2,4-hexadiynyl-1,6-bis(p-toluenesulfonate) have been explored by program temperature and isothermal differential calorimetry. The heat of fusion for the rapidly heated pure solid was 8254 cal/mole (34,540 J/mole) at 367.1°K (93.8°C). This amounts to an entropy change of 22.5 cal/mole °K (94.1 J/mole °K). The energy of activation for the thermal polymerizations was 18.97 kcal/mole (79.37 kJ/mole). The thermal polymerization appears to follow a solid–solid phase transition which proceeds by random homogeneous nucleation throughout the process. The kinetics were simple first order over 70% of the reaction. Programmed temperature studies indicate that during the first 10% of the polymerization a new high temperature (mp 375.4°K) solid phase is formed which acts as the monomer form during the bulk of the reaction.     

Thermal degradation of polyisobutylene studied using factor-jump thermogravimetry

The overall activation energy of the thermal degradation of polyisobutylene has been measured using factor-jump thermogravimetry to be 206±1 kJ/mole over the range 365 to 405° in N₂ at 800 mm Hg pressure and flowing at 4 mm/s over the sample. This is consistent with some values reported for thermal degradation in vacuum and in solution. In 5 mm Hg of N₂, an apparent activation energy of 218±2 kJ/mole was found, and in vacuum the apparent activation energy is 238±13 kJ/mole. Troublesome bubbling made the vacuum values difficult to measure. Substitution of reasonable values for the activation energies of initiation,E _i , termination,E _t , and the activation energy,E _a , for vacuum degradation in the equationE _a =E _i /2E _d -E _t /2 yields an activation energy E_d=84 kJ/mole for the unzipping reaction. This equation presupposes a degradation mechanism of random initiation, unzipping, and bimolecular termination. Substitution of reasonable values for the heat of polymerization, ΔH, in the definition ΔH=E _p ?e _d suggests that the activation energy of the polymerization reaction at 375° is approximately 30 kJ/mole.     

The kinetics of the thermal bromination of CF3I. Determination of the bond dissociation energy D(CF3−I)

The kinetics of the thermal bromination reaction have been studied in the range of 173–321°C. For the step we obtain where θ=2.303RT cal/mole. From the activation energy for reaction (11), we calculate that This is compared with previously published values of D(CF₃?I). The relevance of the result to published work on k_c for a combination of CF₃ radicals is discussed.     

Quantum chemical analysis of the Eley-Rideal and Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanisms of the catalytic oxidation of carbon monoxide on the nickel surface

The studies concerned with the oxidation of carbon monoxide on the nickel surface are reviewed. The Eley-Rideal (ER) collision and Langmuir-Hinshelwood (LH) adsorption mechanisms of the oxidation are analyzed. Calculations of the activation barriers of the oxidation of carbon monoxide on the Ni (111), (100), and (110) faces were performed for the first time and involved optimization of the reaction paths by the collision and adsorption mechanisms. It is shown that on the Ni (111) and (110) faces the ER collision mechanism of the reaction is preferable with the activation barriers ΔE _dis ^O ₂=62 kJ/mole and ΔE _trans ^O A21F5001₂x=25 kJ/mole for Ni (111) and ΔE _dis ^O ₂=72 kJ/mole and ΔE _trans ^O ₂=20 kJ/mole for Ni (110); on the Ni (100) face, the LH adsorption mechanism with the activation barriers ΔE _dis ^O ₂=75 kJ/mole and ΔE _trans ^O ₂=42 kJ/mole is favored. Analysis of the potential barriers for the catalytic oxidation of carbon monoxide on the Ni surfaces suggests the LH mechanism to be preferential, although insignificant differences in the activation barries can lead to the oscillatory reaction mechanism, which is confirmed experimentally. The calculations were performed by the LCAO MO SCF method in the MINDO/3 approximation. Kiev Polytechnical Institute. Translated fromZhurnal Struktumoi Khimii, Vol. 37, No. 4, pp. 628–645, July–August, 1996. Translated by I. Izvekova     

Kinetics and thermochemistry of the gas phase reaction of methyl ethyl ketone with iodine. I. The resonance energy of the methylacetonyl radical

The gas phase reaction of iodine (2.8–43.3 torr) with methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) (7.4–303.4 torr) has been studied over the temperature range 280–355°C in a static system. The initial rate of disappearance of I₂ is first order in MEK and half order in I₂. The rate-determining step is the abstraction of a secondary hydrogen atom by an iodine atom: where k₁ is given by and θ = 2.303RT in kcal/mole. This activation energy is equivalent to a secondary C? H bond strength of 92.3 ± 1.4 kcal/mole and ΔH of the methylacetonyl radical = -16.8 ± 1.7 kcal/mole. By comparison with 95 kcal/mole for the secondary C? H bond strength, when delocalization of the unpaired electron with a pi bond is not possible, the resonance stabilization of the methylacetonyl radical is calculated to be 2.7 ± 1.7 kcal/mole. This value is 10 kcal/mole less than the stabilization energy of the isoelectronic methylallyl radical. The difference in pi bond energies in the canonical forms of the methylacetonyl radical is shown to account for the variation in stabilization energies.     

Shock initiated ignition in COS?O2?Ar mixtures

The ignition of COS + O₂ mixtures diluted in argon was studied behind reflected shocks in a single-pulse shock tube over the temperature range of 1100–1700°K. Ignition delay times and the distribution of reaction products before and after ignition were determined experimentally. From a total of 63 tests run at varying initial conditions, the following correlation for the induction times was derived: where β₁ = +0.30, β₂ = 1.12, and E = 16.9 kcal/mole. Using a reaction scheme of 14 steps, the following values were obtained by a computer modeling of the induction times: β₁ = +0.22, β₂ = 1.55, and E = 17.3 kcal/mole. The calculations showed that the reaction COS + S → CO + S₂ caused the inhibiting effect of the COS. The reaction COS → O ± CO₂ + S has a very strong accelerating effect, whereas the parallel channel COS + O → CO + SO shows the opposite effect. It was also shown that the reaction O + S₂ → SO + O is very slow and does not contribute to the overall oxidation reaction. It is suggested that the rate constant given to the four-center reaction COS + SO → CO₂ + S₂, that is, 10¹¹ cm³/mole · sec at 300°K is incorrect. This constant is not much higher than 10⁸ cm³/mole · sec at 1300°K.     

Thermal isomerization of cis- or trans-2-butene. The unimolecular elimination of hydrogen from cis-2-butene around 500°C

An analytical and kinetic study of the thermal reaction of cis- or trans-2-butene has been performed in a static system over the temperature range of 480–550°C and at a low extent of reaction and initial pressures of 10–100 torr. The rate constant of the unimolecular cis–trans isomerization of cis-2-butene, determined under the conditions (2.3 RT in cal/mole) is in good agreement with previous measurements made at lower pressures. A comparison between the formation rates of hydrogen from the thermal reactions of cis- and trans-2 butene around 500°C leads to the rate constant value (2.3 RT in cal/mole) for the unimolecular 1,4? hydrogen elimination from cis? 2? butene.     

Arrhenius parameters for the hydrogen abstraction from ammonia by CF3 radicals

The reaction of CF₃ radicals with NH₃ has been studied over a wide temperature range 298–673 K, using the photolysis and the thermal decomposition of CF₃I as the free radical source. It was found that the reaction could not be explained in terms of a simple mechanism in the whole temperature range because a marked pressure dependence on the rate of products formation and the presence of a dark reaction complicate the system at low temperatures. Thus, Arrhenius parameters for reaction (1) have been calculated relative to the CF₃ recombination from data in the range 523–673 K where pure hydrogen transfer occurs. The rate constant expression is given by where k_H/k is in units of cm^3/2/mol^1/2 s^1/2 and θ = 2.303 RT/kJ/mol.     

Polymer-supported Ziegler–Natta catalyst for the polymerization of isoprene

A polymer-supported Ziegler–Natta catalyst, polystyrene-TiCl₄AlEt₂Cl (PS–TiCl₄AlEt₂Cl), was synthesized by reaction of polystyrene–TiCl₄ complex (PS–TiCl₄) with AlEt₂Cl. This catalyst showed the same, or lightly greater catalytic activity to the unsupported Ziegler–Natta catalyst for polymerization of isoprene. It also has much greater storability, and can be reused and regenerated. Its overall catalytic yield for isoprene polymerization is ca. 20 kg polyisoprene/gTi. The polymerization rate depends on catalyst titanium concentration, mole ratio of Al/Ti, monomer concentration, and temperature. The kinetic equation of this polymerization is: R_p = k[M]^0.30[Ti]^0.41[Al]^1.28, and the apparent activation energy ΔE_act = 14.5 kJ/Mol, and the frequency factor A_p = 33 L/(mol s). The mechanism of the isoprene polymerization catalyzed by the polymer-supported catalyst is also described. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Kinetics of isothermal decomposition of Cu(II) succinate

The isothermal decomposition of Cu(CH₂COO)₂ has been studied at 473–523 K using material in the form of powder and pellets. The isothermal decomposition of Cu(II) succinate to cupric oxide takes placevia the intermediate formation of 2 CuCO₃·Cu(OH)₂. The X-ray diffraction technique has been employed to identify the decomposition products. The decomposition curves are best fitted by two kinetic stages: (i) a linear law, and (ii) a unimolecular law. The activation energies for the two stages are 153 ± 10 kJ/mole, and 115 ± 8 kJ/mole, respectively. It has been observed that pelleting has no effect on the kinetics. DTG, DTA and TG curves of the sample have also been recorded. The order of reaction has been calculated from these curves.     

Iodine monochloride as a thermal source of chlorine atoms: The reaction of chlorine atoms with hydrogen

The use of iodine monochloride (ICl) as a thermal source of chlorine atoms in known concentration is discussed with particular reference to the suppression, by large excesses of iodine, of the chain processes normally associated with chlorine atom reactions. The kinetics and mechanism of the reaction of ICl with hydrogen are presented in a study covering the temperature range 205–337°C, and the pressure ranges: ICl, 6–20 torr; I₂, 3–13 torr; and H₂, 9–520 torr. The reaction, followed spectrophotometrically in a static system, is shown to be homogeneous, first order in ICl and in H₂, and inverse half-order in I₂, over several half-lifetimes of the ICl, yielding HCl as the sole product. The rate data obtained in this work for the reaction are combined with the critically evaluated results of other workers in an Arrhenius plot covering the temperature range 286–730°C, and three orders-of-magnitude in the rate constant, yielding the results, log k₁/(1/mole sec) = 10.68–5.26/θ, where θ = 2.303RT in kcal/mole. This value of k₁ is lower by a factor of about two than that proposed in a recent review by Fettis and Knox, and is clearly at variance by a factor of two or more with the most recent data of Clyne and Stedman.     

Vinyl polymerization. Part 268. Polymerization of acrylonitrile initiated by the system of tetramethyl tetrazene and bromoacetic acid

The polymerization of acrylonitrile (AN) initiated by the system of tetramethyl tetrazene (TMT) and bromoacetic acid (BA) in dimethylformamide (DMF) was studied. The TMT–BA system could initiate the polymerization of AN more easily than TMT alone. The polymerization was confirmed to proceed through a radical mechanism. The initial rate of polymerization R_p was expressed by the equation: R_p = [TMT]^0.62-[BA]^0.5[AN]^1.5. The overall activation energy for the polymerization was estimated as 9.4 kcal/mole. In the absence of monomer, the reaction of TMT with BA in DMF was also studied kinetically by measuring the evolution of nitrogen gas. The reaction was first-order in TMT and first-order in BA; the rate data at 49°C were k₂ = 9.1 × 10^?2l./mole-sec., ΔH? = 17.0 kcal/mole, and ΔS? = ? 6.6 eu. In addition, the treatment of TMT with BA in benzene led to the formation of tetramethylhydrazine radical cation, which was identified by its ESR spectrum. On the other hand, the relatively strong interaction between TMT and DMF was observed by absorption spectrophotometry.     

Thermochemische und kinetische Untersuchungen der endothermen Umbildungsreaktionen des Epsomits (MgSO4 · 7H2O)

Heterogeneous decompositions of MgSO₄ · 7H₂O (Epsomite) monocrystals were studied with thermal (DTA, DSC, TG) and thermo-optical methods. The polythermal reaction is controlled by nucleation of the reactant. This process has been considered by the Avrami-Erofe'ev equation: $$kt = [ - \ln (1 - \alpha )]^{{\raise0.7ex\hbox{$1$} \!\mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {1 3}}\right.\kern-\nulldelimiterspace}\!\lower0.7ex\hbox{$3$}}} $$ The plots and the slope which give the activation energyE+=23.5 kcal/mole (760 Torr N₂, 50–100°), are obtained from the Freeman-Carroll equation. The DSC technique was used to determine the heat of decomposition (ΔH=42.3 kcal/mole, 760 Torr N₂, 50–100°). The heat of transformation for the reaction 39–47° $$MgSO_4 \cdot 7H_2 O\xrightarrow{{39 - 47^ \circ }}MgSO_4 \cdot 6H_2 O + H_2 O$$ wasΔH=2.8 kcal/mole. The isothermal reaction (20°, 10^?6 Torr) is controlled by first-order kinetic.     

Aqueous polymerization of methacrylamide

The aqueous polymerization of methacrylamide (I) initiated by KBrO₃–thioglycolic acid (TGA) has been studied at 30 ± 0.2°C in nitrogen. The rate is given by K[M]^1.19 [thioglycolic acid]¹ [KBrO₃]^0.53 for 10–15% conversion. Activation energy was found to be 53.96 kJ/mole (12.92 kcal/mole) in the investigated range of temperature 30–45°C. The role of addition of a series of aliphatic alcohols and some salts was also determined. The kinetics of polymerization was followed iodometrically.