Transitions in trans-1,4-polyisoprene

The melting transitions of both crystalline forms of trans-1,4-polyisoprene, as detected by differential thermal analysis, have been identified by attendant studies with optical microscopy and x-ray diffraction. The lower-melting (LM) form melts initially at a temperature which depends upon the crystallization temperature but which, under our experimental conditions, is between 45 and 53°C. If recrystallization is allowed to occur, the apparent final melting point, which depends upon the recrystallization temperature, is about 58°C. The initial melting point of the higher-melting (HM) form, also crystallization temperature-dependent, is upwards of 57°C. Under the most easily accessible experimental conditions, it may be obscured by the final melting of the LM-form. The apparent final melting point of the HM form is approximately 66°C. Conversion of the LM form into the HM form occurs only by fusion and crystallization. No evidence of a solid-solid transition was found. The rate of conversion is governed principally by the rate of nucleation at the conversion temperature. If fusion of the LM form is incomplete, recrystallization of the LM form takes place instead of conversion to the HM form.     

Crystallization of trans-1,4-polyisoprene

Crystals of fractionated trans-1,4-polyisoprene (TPI) were grown from amyl acetate solution at two weight fractions, 5.7 × 10^?4 and 0.011; for the lower concentration a precooling followed by heating and then crystallization at temperatures in the 10–32°C range was used, while for the higher concentration this method and direct crystallization at a temperature T_C in the 0–32°C range were employed. The precooling method yielded samples crystallized in the α form, while direct crystallization led to formation of β-TPI at low T_C and α at higher T_C. The value for the DSC endotherm, characteristic of α-form melting, increased with increasing T_C, with a shift to lower values with increasing concentration for precooled samples. A β to α transformation was found to occur for synthetic unfractionated TPI when swollen with amyl acetate at 35°C for 17h. Swelling in n-butyl acetate for one day at 25°C or 17 h at 35°C also led to this transformation. From experimental results 74°C is chosen as the temperature at which the α and β forms coexist in the bulk, and this is used to calculate the enthalpy of fusion of β-TPI, yielding a value of 8.6 kJ mol^?1.     

Crystallization of segmented trans-1,4-polyisoprene/epoxidized trans-1,4-polyisoprene block copolymers from solution

The crystallization of segmented block copolymers of trans-1,4-polyisoprene (TPI)/expoxidized TPI from solution was investigated. One preparation with an average TPI block length of 14.5 and an average epoxidized TPI block length of 10 was crystallized from 2-pentanol at 20°C, 2-octanol at 20°C, and 2-pentanone at 0°C. A second preparation with an average TPI block length of 18 and the same average epoxidized TPI block length was crystallized from 2-octanol at 20°C and 2-pentanone at 0°C. The crystallization products were expoxidized in suspension a second time and then characterized by carbon-13 solution NMR to determine the average noncrystalline traverse length and the average crystalline stem length. The crystallized products were also studied by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry to determine the morphology, the crystal form and crystallinity, and the melting point, respectively. The average noncrystalline traverse length was found to be highly dependent on the crystallization conditions and the crystalline stem length of the parent TPI lamellas; the composition of these traverses is discussed.     

Mechanical relaxations in trans-1,4-polyisoprene crystals

Dynamic mechanical relaxation spectra were obtained for solution-grown crystals of trans-1,4-polyisoprene (TPI) in the α and β form. For single crystal mats three relaxations were observed. The highest temperature relaxation peak was characterized as due to the crystalline regions, whereas the intermediate peak was assigned to the primary amorphous relaxation which originates from the fold regions. The nature of the amorphous regions was elucidated by examining the effect of epoxidation on the lamellar fold surface. For an epoxidized single crystal mat, the intermediate relaxation maximum shifted to a higher temperature which corresponds to the glass transition of the almost completely epoxidized TPI. These results are discussed in terms of the fold structure of the TPI single crystals.     

Properties of crystallized trans 1,4-polyisoprene

Stirrer crystallization of a trans-1,4-polyisoprene fraction(M?_n = 3 × 10⁵) was carried out from n-butyl acetate and from n-heptane solutions (2% w/v). Fibrous crystals in the ß form were obtained at temperatures of 46-48°C in the two solvents, respectively. At 36-46°C from n-butyl acetate and 25-35°C from n-heptane lamellar crystallization took place leading predominantly to the α form. Melting endotherms and densities for various samples were obtained. The maximum TENDO for α was 74°C and for ß 79°C and the maximum weight fraction crystallinity for ß was 0.78. The stability of performed α nuclei in n-butyl acetate and n-heptane using a fraction with M?_n = 2.5 × 10⁵ was monitored as a function of temperature. The dissolution temperature of fibrous ß-TPI with the maximum TENDO was measured in 13 liquids and the results analyzed in terms of the Flory-Huggins parameter. The heats of fusion for the α and ß forms, obtained by extrapolation of heat of fusion versus change in specific volume, were found to be 8.0 and 10 kJ mol^?1, respectively. The pressure coefficients of the melting temperature were calculated to be 38 and 43 K kbar^?1 and the fold-surface free energies recalculated to be 42 ± 1 and 53 ± 1 erg cm^?2 for the α and ß forms, respectively. The number of monomer units per average noncrystalline chain traverse for the most crystalline fibrous ß-TPI was estimated at 36.     

Dilute-solution properties of trans-1,4-polyisoprene

Trans-1,4-polyisoprene was fractionated by both fractional precipitation and preparative gel permeation chromatography to obtain possibly sharp fractions of narrow molecular weight distribution. Selected fractions were characterized by light scattering, viscosity, and gel permeation chromatography. Necessary corrections for molecular heterogeneity were applied. Some of the characteristic relations between [η] and M _w are [η] = 1.81 × 10^?4 M in benzene at 30°C, [η] = 1.38 × 10^?4 M in n-hexane at 30°C, which are found to be in good agreement with literature data when corrected for molecular heterogeneity.     

Cyclization of synthetic cis-1,4-polyisoprene

Cyclization of synthetic cis-1,4-polyisoprene was carried out by using TiCl₄ and p-toluenesulfonic acid catalyst. The average cyclicity and structure of the polymers cyclized to a different degree was studied by infrared and high-temperature NMR spectroscopy. The methods of synthesizing an average mono-, bi-, tri-, or polycyclic polymer that could be distinguished by high-temperature NMR spectroscopy and followed by gel-permeation chromatography are discussed.     

Stress-induced Solid-Solid Crystal Transition in Trans-1,4-polyisoprene

The polymorphic transition of trans-1,4-polyisoprene(TPI) during stretching was investigated by in situ wide-angle X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The influences of the initial structure, stretching temperature, and strain rate on the contents of different crystal modifications(α, β) were explored. The results confirm that the α-β transition occurs during stretching of TPI that only contains αcrystal(α-TPI). When the stress is relaxed, the β crystal formed during stretching remains, which indicates that the transition is irreversible. On the other hand, stretching of TPI that only contains β crystal(β-TPI) results in orientated β crystal. No β-α transition occurs during stretching. The different structures of stretched α-TPI and β-TPI exclude the previously proposed melting-recrystallization mechanism. The α-β transition depends significantly on temperature and strain rate, indicating the transition is governed both by thermodynamics and kinetics. Our results support a solid-solid transition mechanism rather than a melting-recrystallization mechanism. The irreversible nature of the transition is attributed to the metastability of the β phase in the unstretched state. Different from the β phases that appear in polymers with stress-induced reversible transitions, e.g. poly(butylene terephthalate) and poly(butylene succinate), the stability of β phase in TPI is high that can be long-lived.The strain rate dependence of α-β transition hinders the determination of critical stress for the transition. It further indicates that the local stress within the sample is more heterogeneous at higher strain rates.     

Transcrystallinity and x-ray diffraction in trans-1,4-polyisoprene

Middle range fractions of mimusops balata, a natural trans-1,4-polyisoprene, exhibit transcrystallinity when crystallized in the 35–40°C range. The presence of transcrystallinity was established by x-ray diffraction and optical microscopy. Diffraction peak intensities change due to transcrystallinity, suggesting x-rays be used to detect transcrystallinity and that caution be exercised in using x-ray diffraction techniques to determine the phases present in bulk material and in calculating the degree of crystallinity. The tendency toward transcrystallinity may depend upon molecular weight.     

Morphology of solution crystallized trans-1,4-polyisoprene

The film formation method has been successfully used to grow single crystals and other complex morphological features of low melting form (LMF) and high melting form (HMF) of trans-1,4-polyisoprene (TPIP). Below 40 °C dilute amyl acetate solution gave hexagonal shaped LMF crystals. Thick and elongated hexagonal shaped morphology was shown by HMF crystals at temperatures above 40 °C. Straight faces and sharp corners of the single crystals, and also of complex crystals, acquired round shapes when highly polydispersed TPIP was used for crystallization.     

FTIR study of gamma-irradiated cis-1,4-polyisoprene

The effect of γ-irradiation on the structure and oxidation of cis-1,4-polyisoprene is investigated by ATR-FTIR technique. This method provides the valuable insight into the type of oxidation products produced and the extent and nature of intramolecular cyclization and chain scission reactions. The formation of ketones, alcohols and/or ethers, and hydroperoxides is apparent already at small doses of γ-radiation and it increases with the exposure time significantly. At the highest dose of 309 kGy a decrease in the intensity of C=O stretching mode of ketones (1717 cm⁻¹) was observed while the overall area of the band remained the same as in the case of 188 kGy dose. The shoulders observed at 1740 cm⁻¹ and 1772 cm⁻¹ could be assigned to C=O stretching frequency of esters and five-membered-ring lactones, respectively. Higher doses of γ-radiation also cause the formation of two relatively strong bands in the region of conjugated double bonds. These could origin from the aromatic products or cycloenes with one double bond formed by cyclization and chain scission processes.     

Synthesis of N,N-diethyldithiocarbamate functionalized 1,4-polyisoprene, from natural rubber and synthetic 1,4-polyisoprene

N,N-Diethyldithiocarbamate functionnalized 1,4-polyisoprenes were prepared from 1,4-polyisoprenes (natural or synthetic). The syntheses were performed by nucleophilic addition of N,N-diethyldithiocarbamate salts upon oxirane rings of epoxidized units according to a SN2 mechanism with ring opening. Studies on model molecules of epoxidized 1,4-polyisoprene units (1,2-epoxy-1-methylcyclohexane and 4,5-epoxy-4-methyloctane) were previously achieved to develop the procedure. The best yields were obtained at low temperature in polar medium, and more especially in water with sodium N,N-diethyldithiocarbamate (DEDT-Na) as reagent. A diastereospecific addition was noted when reaction was performed in water with DEDT-Na. Afterwards, the developed procedure was successfully generalized to epoxidized synthetic polyisoprenes and epoxidized natural rubber (in THF, then in latex medium). Excellent results were obtained in latex medium with epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) latices. As with the models, a diastereospecific addition of sodium N,N-diethyldithiocarbamate trihydrate onto epoxidized 1,4-polyisoprene units of ENR was observed at the condition to bring the latex medium to pH 8 before introduction of DEDT-Na. Influence of temperature, drc, and DEDT-Na concentration were successively examined to determine the best conditions of the addition on ENR latices.     

Study of crystallization kinetics of trans-1,4-polyisoprene

The concentrations and the growth rates of high- and low-melting type spherulites of trans-1,4-polyisoprene were measured in the temperature range 39–49°C. It was shown that above about 40°C., the crystallization rate of trans-1,4-polyisoprene is determined primarily by the radial growth rate of high-melting form (HMF) spherulites, whereas the predominance of the low-melting form (LMF) crystals below 40°C. can be attributed to the high rate of formation of LMF primary nuclei at lower crystallization temperatures. Temperature-independent rate parameters were calculated from optical and dilatometric measurements and were found to be in good agreement. Both the change in nucleation habit and spherulite growth rate with temperature can be explained on the basis of a lower end surface free energy of LMF crystals of trans-1,4-polyisoprene compared to that of the HMF crystals.     

13C NMR spectroscopic study of epoxidized 1,4-polyisoprene and 1,4-polybutadiene

Partly epoxidized cis- and trans-1,4-polyisoprenes and cis-and trans-1,4-polybutadienes were prepared, and their ¹³C NMR spectra examined. All the prominent resonances in the spectra of the epoxidized polymers were assigned by using lanthanide shift reagent and off-resonance decoupling experiments. A ¹³C NMR method of quantitative assessment of the epoxide content was developed following determination of relative spin-lattice relaxation time (T₁) and nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE) parameters of the various carbons in the epoxidized polyisoprenes and polybutadienes.     

Photoinduced One-Electron Reduction of 1,4-Dihydroxyanthraquinone

Anthracyclines,suchasadriamycinaanddaunomycinb,containingthel,4-dihydro-xyanthraquinone(l,4-DHAQ)moiety,arewidelyusedasanti-cancerdrugs'-'.Itshowedthatthephotosensitizingabilityofanthracyclinesmayallowtheirusesifithetreatmentoftumors.OneofthepossiblemodesofactionthathasreceivedattentioninrecentyearsistheabiIitytoundergophotochemicaIreductiontogeneratesemiquinoneradicaIanionsandanumberofreactiveoxygenspecies'.Therefore,itisimportancetocharacterizethecorrespondingsemiquinoneradicalanionbystud…     

Synthesis of well-defined telechelic trans-1,4-polyisoprene by oxidative cleavage

Synthesis of telechelic trans-1,4-polyisoprenes(TPI: trans-structure 95%) was evaluated based on two different methods of oxidative cleavage(indirect cleavage: first epoxidation of TPI, then the selective cleavage of epoxidized units in epoxidized trans-1,4-polyisoprene(ETPI) and direct cleavage of isoprene units in TPI). The influence of solvents and the ratio of oxidative agents was investigated by 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR. A series of well-defined telechelic TPI with double terminated functional groups and less side reaction(molecular weight distribution range: 1.96?2.26) were synthesized by indirect cleavage in chloroform. Telechelic TPI showed similar crystallization behavior with TPI and interesting cold crystallization behavior characterized by DSC.     

Photoinduced 1,4-additions of indoles to enones

[reaction: see text] A photoinduced procedure for the 1,4-addition of indoles to enones is described. This reaction occurs with modest to excellent yield for cyclic and some acyclic enones. This reaction is experimentally simple, requiring only irradiation (UVA lamps, ca. 350 nm) of the reagents in a CH2Cl2 solution at room temperature, and avoids the necessity to use a Lewis acid. An important solvent effect was noticed, with CH2Cl2 and CHCl3 being the optimal solvents. Various substituents are tolerated on the indole moiety and an electronic trend was noticed, as electron-withdrawing groups can suppress this reaction. A mechanism involving single electron transfer between the enone triplet excited state and the indole is proposed and accounts for all experimental observations.     

Mechanical and swelling equilibrium characterization of high cis-1,4-polyisoprene networks

Equilibrium stress-strain relationships in uniaxial extension for high cis-1,4-polyisoprene (Shell IR 307) networks were obtained by extrapolation of relaxation measurements to infinite time through a Bernstein-Kearsley-Zapas (BKZ) constitutive equation. Three series of networks were investigated, each series being characterized by its polymer precursor molecular weight. The influence of cross-linking density was studied through varying amounts of dicumyl peroxide as cross-linking agent. These results were used to test Flory and Erman's recent molecular theory of networks with constraints on junctions. Swelling equilibrium experiments with benzene and cyclohexane were performed on these networks and were in agreement with the mechanical analysis. The polymer-solvent interaction parameter for the system cis-polyisoprene + cyclohexane was estimated to be 0.31 at 20°C in the range 0 to 0.2 of polymer volume fraction.     

The thermal behaviour of cis-1,4-polyisoprene in the presence of cobalt salt

The effects of synthetic fatty acids (Versatic 10, average formula C₁₁H₂₂O₂) and the cobalt salts of these acids (cobalt siccative) on the thermal properties of cis-1,4-polyisoprene were examined, using a rheometer and a derivatograph. It was found that both Versatic 10 and the cobalt siccative accelerate the peroxide vulcanization of the isoprene rubber considerably, simultaneously decreasing the cross-linking density and increasing the sol fraction content in the vulÇanizates. This is brought about by parallel radical and ionic decomposition of the peroxide initiator in the presence of these compounds. The addition of Versatic 10 or the cobalt siccative to the polyisoprene rubber does not alter the general character of its thermal changes, but decreases the temperatures of these processes and the degradation degree of the elastomer.

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Zusammenfassung Der Einfluss synthetischer Fettsäuren (Versatic 10, mittlere Summenformel C₁₁H₂₂O₂) und ihres Kobaltsalzes (Kobalt-Sikkativ) auf die thermischen Eigenschaften von cis-1,4-Polyisopren wurde mittels Rheometer und Derivatograph untersucht. Sowohl Versatic 10 als auch das Kobaltsikkativ beschleunigen die Peroxid-initiierte Vulkanisation des Isoprenkautschuk, gleichzeitig wird die Vernetzungsdichte verringert und der Gehalt an löslichen Stoffen in den Vulkanisaten erhöht. Ursache dafür ist der parallelle Ablauf der radikalischen und ionischen Zersetzung des Peroxids in Gegenwart der Zusätze. Die Beimengung von Versatic 10 oder Kobaltsikkativ zum Polyisoprenkautschuk ändert nicht den allgemeinen Charakter der thermischen Umwandlungen, aber die Temperatur dieser Reaktionen und der Abbau des Elastomeren werden verringert.

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, C₁₁H₂O₂ ( 10) -1,4-. , 10, , . . 10 , , .

     

Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectral analysis of trans-1,4-polyisoprene.

Polyisoprene is the most widely used polymer in industry and commerce. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectra of trans-1,4-polyisoprene have been recorded in the range of 4000-400 and 4000-100 cm(-1), respectively. In the present investigation, detailed assignments of the observed fundamental bands of trans-1,4-polyisoprene has been analysed in terms of peak positions and relative intensities. With the hope of providing more and effective information on the fundamental vibrations, a normal co-ordinate analysis has been performed on trans-1,4polyisoprene, by assuming Cs symmetry. The simple general valance force field (SGVFF) method has been employed in normal co-ordinate analysis and to calculate the potential energy distribution (PED) for each fundamental vibration. The PED contribution corresponding to each of the observed frequencies shows the reliability and accuracy of the spectral analysis. The validity of the SGVFF method as a practical tool for complete analysis of vibrational spectra, even for a polymer of this complexity, is confirmed in the present work.