Synthesis and characterization of fluorinated poly(aryl ether ketone)s containing 1,4-naphthalene moieties

The new monomer 2,2-bis[4-(4-{4-fluorobenzoyl}-1-naphthoxy)phenyl]hexafluoropropane ( 2 ) was synthesized in a two-step reaction sequence. 2,2-his[4-(1-naphthoxy)phenyl]-hexafluoropropane ( 1 ) was prepared using the Ullmann ether synthesis reaction of 4,4-(hex-afluoroisopropylidiene)diphenol with 1-bromonaphthalene. Friedel-Crafts acylation of 1 with 4-fluorobenzoyl chloride in methylene chloride containing dimethylsulfone selectively afforded 2 in 82% yield. The polycondensation of 2 with various bisphenols in DMAc in the presence of an excess of potassium carbonate as a condensation reagent was carried out at 165°C to quantitatively afford the corresponding fluorinated poly(aryl ether ketone)s containing 1,4-naphthalene moieties. Thermal analysis of the polymers showed them to have T_gs ranging from 194 to 230°C and to be thermally stable in air up with initial weight losses at about 500°C. In addition, these novel polymers exhibited excellent solubility in organic solvents including NMP, DMAc, and chloroform. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis,characterization, and antimicrobial activity of some novel poly(ether ketone)s

Low molecular weight poly(ether ketone)s were synthesized from phenol, 1,4‐phenylenedioxy diacetylchloride, chloroacetylchloride, and dichloroalkanes [1,2‐dichloroethane and dichloromethane] by a Friedel–Crafts reaction with anhydrous aluminum chloride as a catalyst and carbon disulfide as a solvent. The conditions for the preparation of the poly(ether ketone)s and the chlorine contents obtained with the Carius method were examined, and a reaction scheme for each resin was established. The molecular weights and polydispersities of the resins were obtained by gel permeation chromatography. The polyketones were characterized by IR spectroscopy. The characteristic frequencies due to different functional groups were assigned. The thermal properties of the resins were studied with thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry. The characteristic temperatures of thermal degradation for the poly(ether ketone)s were evaluated with thermogravimetric analysis. The kinetic parameters for the decomposition reactions of the resins were obtained with Broido and Doyle's method, and the heats of fusion were obtained from differential scanning calorimetry thermograms. The polyketones were thermally stable up to 200 °C. All the polyketones were tested for their microbial properties against bacteria, fungi, and yeast. The effect of poly(ether ketone)s on the growth of these microorganisms was investigated, and the polyketones were found to inhibit the growth of the microorganisms to a considerable extent. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 2335–2344, 2003     

Friedel–crafts reactions of pendant vinyl groups in macroporous monosized poly(meta‐divinylbenzene) and poly(para‐divinylbenzene) particles

Residual vinyl groups in macroporous monosized polymer particles of poly(meta‐DVB) and poly(para‐DVB) prepared with toluene and 2‐EHA as porogens have been reacted with aluminum chloride as Friedel–Crafts catalyst with and without the presence of lauroyl chloride. In the reaction between aluminum chloride and pendant vinyl groups a post‐crosslinking by cationic polymerization takes place. A reaction occurring simultaneously is the addition of HCl to the double bonds. The progress of these reactions was studied by characterization of vinyl group conversion, pore size distribution, specific surface area, morphology, and swelling behavior. In the reaction with aluminum chloride the poly(para‐DVB) particles showed a substantially higher conversion of pendant vinyl groups than the particles made of poly(meta‐DVB) independent of porogen type. The reaction with aluminum chloride led to a reduced swelling in organic solvents and an increased rigidity of the particles prepared with toluene as porogen. This is confirmed by an increase in the total pore volume in the dry state and a change in the pore size distribution of these particles. Also in the reaction with lauroyl chloride poly(para‐DVB) particles have shown a higher conversion of pendant vinyl groups than poly(meta‐DVB) particles and the acylation was almost complete at the early stage of the reaction. The swelling in organic solvents is reduced as a result of the incorporation of acyl groups into the particles prepared with toluene as porogen. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 1366–1378, 2000     

The degree of crystallinity of monoclinic isotactic poly(propylene)

The degree of crystallinity of a set of monoclinic (alpha) isotactic poly(propylenes), prepared by a metallocene‐type catalyst, were determined at room temperature. Three different methods were used: density, enthalpy of fusion, and wide‐angle X‐ray scattering, and the results compared. The relation between the heat of fusion and the specific volume of these poly(propylenes) was found to be nonlinear, thus precluding any linear extrapolation to obtain the heat of fusion of the pure crystal (ΔH_u). The value of ΔH_u obtained from depression of the melting temperature by diluents is used. Based on the unit cell density of monoclinic crystals formed from a low defected fraction, the density obtained crystallinity levels were found to be between 0.l5–0.25 higher than those calculated from the heat of fusion. This relatively large difference holds for the isothermally crystallized and quenched isotactic poly(propylenes), and reflects the contribution of the interphase to the density determined crystallinity, which does not contribute to the heat of fusion. Paralleling results found in other systems, the crystallinity levels obtained from wide‐angle X‐ray scattering agree with those obtained from density, indicating a significant contribution of the partially ordered phase to the total diffraction. Emphasis is given on the need to account for the large differences in the crystallinities of poly(propylene) measured by different techniques when evaluating the dependence of properties on this quantity. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 323–334, 1999     

Thermal stability of poly(styrene) containing no head-to-head units

General purpose poly(styrene) prepared by conventional radical techniques contains a head-to-head unit as a consequence of polymerization termination by radical coupling. As has been previously demonstrated, thermal stress promotes homolysis of the bond linking the head-to-head components. The macroradicals generated depolymerize rapidly to generate styrene monomer. This decomposition during processing can lead to finished articles containing objectionable levels of styrene monomer, particularly for food packaging applications in which even low levels of monomer can promote objectionable taste and aroma. Polymer containing no head-to-head units should not be prone to this facile decomposition. In this instance, poly(styrene) has been prepared by nitroxyl-mediated polymerization of styrene monomer followed by reductive removal of nitroxyl end groups. Polymer prepared in this manner contains no head-to-head units and displays thermal stability much greater than that observed for conventional poly(styrene). A direct comparison of the stability for the two polymers is readily available by thermogravimetric techniques. A quantitative reflection of the difference in stability is available from the rate constants for the respective decomposition.     

Synthesis and characterization of novel aromatic poly(imide–benzoxazole) copolymers

New poly(imide–benzoxazole) copolymers were prepared directly from a dianhydride, a diacid chloride, and a bis(o‐diaminophenol) monomer in a two‐step method. In the first step, poly(amic acid–hydroxyamide) precursors were synthesized by low‐temperature solution polymerization in an organic solvent. Subsequently, the thermal cyclodehydration of the poly(amic acid–hydroxyamide) precursors at 350 °C produced the corresponding poly(imide–benzoxazole) copolymers. The inherent viscosities of the precursor polymers were around 0.19–0.33 dL/g. The cyclized poly(imide–benzoxazole) copolymers had glass‐transition temperatures in the range of 331–377 °C. The 5% weight loss temperatures ranged from 524 to 535 °C in nitrogen and from 500 to 514 °C in air. The poly(imide–benzoxazole) copolymers were amorphous, as evidenced by the wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction measurements. The structures of the precursor copolymers and the fully cyclized copolymers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared, ¹H NMR, and elemental analysis. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 6020–6027, 2005     

Preparation and characterization of Co- and homopoly(phenylene etherimideketone)s

Poly(phenylene etherimdeketone)s were prepared by Friedel–Crafts acylation type polymerization using P₂O₅? CH₃SO₃H 1 : 10 (w/v) mixtures. Most of these polymers were semicrystalline. T_gS ranged from 203 to 236°C and crystalline melt temperatures were observed between 306 and 435°C. All of the polymers exhibited high thermal stability and good solvent resistance. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis and structural characterization of novel,fluorinated poly(phthalazinone ether)s containing perfluorophenylene moieties

The synthesis and structural characterization of a series of novel, fluorinated poly(phthalazinone ether)s containing perfluorophenylene moieties are described. The monomers, 4‐(4′‐hydroxyaryl)phthalazin‐1(2H)‐ones ( 2a – 2d ), were conveniently and efficiently synthesized from phenols and phthalic anhydride in two steps via 2‐(4′‐hydroxybenzoyl)benzoic acids, which were first obtained by the Friedel–Crafts reaction in good yields and with high stereoselectivity and were then converted into 2a – 2d by fusion with hydrazine. All the polymers were prepared by nucleophilic aromatic substitution (S_NAr) polycondensation between the compounds perfluorobiphenyl and 4‐(4′‐hydroxyaryl)phthalazin‐1(2H)‐ones ( 2a ‐ 2d ). The resulting fluorinated polymers were readily soluble in common organic solvents (e.g., CHCl₃, tetrahydrofuran, dimethylformamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, N‐methylpyrrolidone, etc.) at room temperature. Their weight‐average molecular weights and the polydispersities ranged from (7.96–18.25) × 10³ to 1.31–2.71, respectively. Their glass‐transition temperatures varied from 213 to 263 °C. They were all stable up to 390 °C both in air and in argon. The 5% weight‐loss temperatures of these polymers in air and argon ranged from 393–487 to 437–509 °C, respectively. Wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction studies indicated they were all amorphous and could be attributed to the presence of kink nonplanar moiety, phenyl phthalazinone along the polymer backbone. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 925–932, 2004     

Synthesis of highly isotactic poly(N,N‐diethylacrylamide) by anionic polymerization with grignard reagents and diethylzinc

N,N‐Dimethylacrylamide (DMA) and N,N‐diethylacrylamide (DEA) were polymerized with various Grignard reagents in tetrahydrofuran at −78 °C in the presence of diethylzinc (Et₂Zn). Highly isotactic poly(DEA) was produced in quantitative yield with tert‐butylmagnesium bromide and Et₂Zn, whereas atactic poly(DEA) was generated in the absence of Et₂Zn. No stereospecific polymerization of DMA proceeded with Grignard reagent in the presence of Et₂Zn. The highly isotactic poly(DEA) obtained was soluble in water and showed the characteristic coil–globule transition phenomenon. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 4677–4685, 2000     

Synthesis of a novel naphthalene-based poly(arylene ether-ketone) by polycondensation of 1,5-bis(4-fluorobenzoyl)-2,6-dimethylnaphthalene with bisphenol a

Synthesis of 1,5-bis(4-fluorobenzoyl)-2,6-dimethylnaphthalene ( 1 ), polycondensation of 1 with Bisphenol A, and properties of the obtained polymer were studied. Friedel–Crafts acylation of 2,6-dimethylnaphthalene with 4-fluorobenzoyl chloride in nitrobenzene selectivity afforded 1 in 82% yield. X-ray single crystal structural analysis of 1 confirmed that the dibenzoylation proceeded regioselectively and two methyl groups sterically inhibited the coplanarity of the two aromatic planes. The polycondensation of 1 with Bisphenol A in toluene/N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) mixed solvent in the presence of excess potassium carbonate as a condensation reagent was carried out at 180°C for 4 h to quantitatively afford the corresponding poly(arylene ether-ketone) (PEK) 3 with high molecular weight (M?_n～30,000) as a slightly yellow powder. As the reaction time was prolonged, both M?_n and MWD of 3 increased and the solubility of 3 in chloroform clearly decreased. By GPC-LALLS, M?_n of 3 obtained by the polycondensation for 16 h, was 85,000. The PEK 3 with high molecular weight was produced in a quantitative yield in a variety of solvents such as sulfolane. Water formed during the polycondensation hardly affected the yield and molecular weight of 3 , although a small molecular weight decrease took place. To evaluate the special effect of the methyl groups of 3 , polycondensation of 2,6-bis(4-fluorobenzoyl)naphthalene 2 with bisphenol A was carried out for comparison and the corresponding PEK 4 was quantitatively obtained. Whereas 3 was soluble in ordinary organic solvents such as tet-rahydrofuran (THF), chloroform, and NMP at room temperature, 4 was insoluble in most solvents except for strong acids such as conc. sulfonic acid. The polymer 3 showed high glass transition temperature (238°C) and 5% weight loss temperature (457°C). Casting of the polymer from THF solution gave a transparent, tough, flexible, and amorphous film. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Efficient synthesis of branched poly(acrylic acid) derivatives via postpolymerization modification

The utility of pentafluorophenyl esters for the selective introduction of functional units and branch points in well-defined poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) derivatives is demonstrated using a combination of controlled radical polymerization and postpolymerization modification. Reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer enables the synthesis of well-defined copolymers—poly(pentafluorophenyl acrylate-co-tert-butyl acrylate)—with the active ester repeat units serving as attachment points for reaction with primary amines, specifically tris(2-(t-butoxycarbonyl)ethyl)methyl amine (Behera's amine). Deprotection using trifluoroacetic acid removes both the backbone and side chain t-butyl esters to give a series of branched PAA derivatives containing novel tricarboxylic acid side chains that are well suited to complexation and multidentate interactions. Surprisingly, the active ester homopolymer is shown to have the highest reactivity with Behera's amine when compared to copolymers with lower incorporation of pentafluorophenyl esters, suggesting an intriguing interplay of neighboring group effects and steric interactions. The ability to tune the efficiency of postpolymerization modification gives a library of PAA derivatives.     

Studies of the antenna effect in polymer molecules. XVII. Synthesis and photocatalytic activity of poly(sodium styrenesulfonate-co-N-vinylcarbazole) and poly[sodium styrenesulfonate-co-N-(acryloyloxyhexyl)carbazole]

Two new antenna polyelectrolytes, poly(sodium styrenesulfonate-co-N-vinylcarbazole) (PSSS–VCz) and poly[sodium styrenesulfonate-co-N-(acryloyloxyhexyl)carbazole](PSSS–AHCz) have been synthesized. Both polymers were found to solubilize large hydrophobic compounds such as perylene in aqueous solution, but PSSS–AHCz was much more efficient than PSSS–VCz. The distribution coefficients of perylene between the polymer pseudophase and water was determined to be (2.9 ± 0.1) × 10⁶ and (4.0 ± 0.2) × 10⁴ in PSSS–AHCz and PSSS–VCz, respectively. The greater solubilizing ability of PSSS–AHCz is attributed to the higher content of hydrophobic monomer units in the polymer. Both copolymers displayed photocatalytic activity, absorbing light in the UV-visible spectral region. Energy can then be transferred to a solubilized molecule or dissolved oxygen and induce photochemical reactions. The model reaction used in this study was the photosensitized oxidation of perylene solubilized in aqueous polymer solutions. PSSS–AHCz was found to be a much more efficient photocatalyst than PSSS–VCz. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of PSSS–AHCz is attributed to the greater concentration of carbazole chromophores, the higher local concentration of probe in the polymeric pseudophase and possibly to the elimination of the low-energy excimer.     

Synthesis of poly(vinylidene fluoride)‐b‐poly(styrene sulfonate) block copolymers by controlled radical polymerizations

Block copolymers based on poly(vinylidene fluoride), PVDF, and a series of poly(aromatic sulfonate) sequences were synthesized from controlled radical polymerizations (CRPs). According to the aromatic monomers, appropriate techniques of CRP were chosen: either iodine transfer polymerization (ITP) or atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) from PVDF‐I macromolecular chain transfer agents (CTAs) or PVDF‐CCl₃ macroinitiator, respectively. These precursors were produced either by ITP of VDF with C₆F₁₃I or by radical telomerization of VDF with chloroform, respectively. Poly(vinylidene fluoride)‐b‐poly(sodium styrene sulfonate), PVDF‐b‐PSSS, block copolymers were produced from both techniques via a direct polymerization of sodium styrene sulfonate (SSS) monomer or an indirect way with the use of styrene sulfonate ethyl ester (SSE) as a protected monomer. Although the reaction led to block copolymers, the kinetics of ITP of SSS showed that PVDF‐I macromolecular CTAs were not totally efficient because a limitation of the CTA consumption (56%) was observed. This was probably explained by both the low activity of the CTA (that contained inefficient PVDF‐CF₂CH₂? I) and a fast propagation rate of the monomer. That behavior was also noted in the ITP of SSE. On the other hand, ATRP of SSS initiated by PVDF‐CCl₃ was more controlled up to 50% of conversion leading to PVDF‐b‐PSSS block copolymer with an average number molar mass of 6000 g·mol^?1. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Synthesis and characterization of soluble C60-chemically modified poly(p-bromostyrene)

Addition of bulky C₆₀ moiety, a powerful electron acceptor (EA = 2.6–2.8 eV), to the poly(p-bromostyrene)(PBS) by a novel organometallic reaction considerably changes the chemical and physical properties of this polymer. The product obtained is a “charm-bracelet” non-crosslinked brownish yellow polymer which is easily soluble in many common organic solvents, and has a single glass transition temperature [134.0°C vs. 83.2°C for poly(p-bromostyrene)], this being congruent with its chemical structure. Covalent attachment of C₆₀ to the brominated polystyrene backbone is confirmed by a variety of techniques such as UV-VIS, FT-IR, TGA, DSC, SEM, ESR, GPC, and ¹³C-NMR. The results show that both the stereo-electronic effect and the steric hindrance of C₆₀ have an important influence on the structure and physical properties of polymer. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Photodegradation of isotactic poly(1-butene): Multiscale characterization

The effect of photodegradation in isotactic poly(1-butene) (PB-1) have been investigated using rheology, differential scanning calorimetry and infrared spectroscopy. Two commercially available grades of PB-1 with different average molecular weight were chosen. Specimens prepared by compression moulding were UV irradiated in the interval from 0 to 70 h. UV-induced changes in molecular structure have been followed by evolution of rheological properties, thermal properties and degradation by-products. Thermal analysis showed significant changes in crystallization behaviour influencing morphology and resulting thermal properties. Moreover it has been confirmed that the degradation significantly retards the phase transformation. Rheological measurement has been found as an effective method for determination of early stages of photodegradation of PB-1.     

A study of the dilation of the unit cell of metallocene isotactic poly(propylenes): The monoclinic form

The lattice parameters of a series of monoclinic metallocene poly(propylenes) of constant molecular weight are measured as a function of defect content, that vary between 0.3 and 2.35 total defects per 100 monomeric units. The parameters are also measured as a function of molecular weight for a fixed defect content and as a function of the crystallization temperature. The b axis is found to increase with decreasing isothermal crystallization temperature whereas only small changes are found for samples rapidly crystallized. The a and c axis showed basically no variation with crystallization temperature. The parameters of the unit cell were essentially constant with varying defect content in the poly(propylene) chain. Lack of observed effect on the dilation of the unit cell by increasing defects is a consequence of the rapid crystallization required to ensure formation of monoclinic crystals. The unit cell parameters increased as a mild function of the molecular weight. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35 : 2511–2521, 1997     

Synthesis and characterization of 3-aryl-2-(polystyryl)cyclopropenones via cyclopropenium ion substitution on polystyrene

Electrophilic substitution of cyclopropenium ions on aromatic polymers offers a unique opportunity to introduce polar functionality in a controlled manner to conventional, nonpolar polymers. Phenylcyclopropenone substituted polystyrene with predictable chemical composition and narrow molecular weight distribution were prepared. Size exclusion chromatography (SEC) analysis demonstrated the absence of branching or crosslinking in these functionalized polystyrenes during electrophilic substitution of the parent homopolymer. ¹³C-NMR confirmed that the degree of phenylcyclopropenone substitution was both highly efficient and predictable over a broad compositional range. The glass transition temperature (T_g) of the polymers was found to vary linearly with mole % phenylcyclopropenone substitution of the polystyrene. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated that thermal decarbonylation of the appended cyclopropenones occurred at approximately 180°C. Weight loss vs. temperature profiles correlated reasonably well with levels of substitution based on ¹³C-NMR analysis, confirming that decarbonylation of the calculated cyclopropenone substituents was the predominant thermal decomposition pathway. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis of isotactic star-shaped poly(vinyl alcohol)

Isotactic 6-armed star-shaped poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) with a narrow molecular weight distribution was successfully prepared by the living cationic polymerization of 6-armed star-shaped poly(tert-butyl vinyl ether) (PTBVE) and subsequent acidic ether cleavage. The PTBVE was synthesized using hexa(chloromethyl) melamine (HCMM) as a hexafunctional initiator and ZnI₂ or ZnCl₂ as an activator in toluene/MC (1/1 v/v) at −70 °C. A better living stability of PTBVE was obtained in the ZnCl₂ activator system. The number average molecular weight and the polydispersity index of the 6-armed star-shaped PTBVE polymerized with ZnCl₂ at −70 °C for 24 h were 156,000 g/mol and 1.47, respectively. The fraction of the mm sequence of the resulting PVA was 52%.     

The utilization of TG/GC/MS in the establishment of the mechanism of poly(styrene) degradation

General purpose poly(styrene) is a large volume commodity polymer used in a variety of applications. It is widely used in food packaging, particularly for baked goods. In this application, the presence of styrene monomer, which has a distinctive taste and aroma, cannot be tolerated. Processing of the polymer and forming of the food container at an unacceptably high temperature leads to the formation of styrene monomer and finished articles with unacceptable aroma characteristics. An examination of the thermal degradation of poly(styrene) has revealed the origin of monomer formation. The thermal decomposition of poly(styrene) has been widely studied. However, most studies have been carried out at high temperature (>300°C) where many processes are occurring simultaneously. Degradation at lower temperature, 280°C, occurs in two well-defined steps. The first is thermolysis of a head-to-head bond present in the mainchain as a consequence of polymerization termination by radical coupling. This generates macroradicals which smoothly depolymerize to expel styrene monomer. The nature of the degradation is readily apparent from kinetic analysis of the isothermal thermogravimetry (TG) data and the identity of the single volatile product may be readily established by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis of the effluent from the TG analysis.     

Synthesis and characterization of poly(ether naphthalimide)s

A series of new poly(ether imide)s containing the naphthalimide moiety were prepared from bis(4-fluorobenzoyl)naphthalimides and several bisphenols by aromatic nucleophilic displacement polymerization. These polyimides had inherent viscosities in the range of 0.31–1.04 dL/g in chloroform and glass transition temperatures of 283.0–341.6°C by differential scanning calorimetry. The onset temperature for 5% weight loss for all the polymers was over 448°C, as assessed by thermogravimetry at a heating rate 10°C/min in nitrogen. In addition, these novel polyimides exhibited good solubility in organic solvents including N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, N,N-dimethylformamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane and chloroform. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 3227–3231, 1999