Functional polyesters prepared by polymerization of α‐allyl(valerolactone) and its copolymerization with ε‐caprolactone and δ‐valerolactone

We report the ring‐opening homopolymerization of α‐allyl(valerolactone), compound 2 , and its copolymerization with ε‐caprolactone and δ‐valerolactone using stannous(II) catalysis. Although the polymerization of substituted δ‐valerolactones has received little attention for the preparation of functional polyesters, we found that compound 2 may be incorporated in controllable amounts into copolymers with other lactones, or simply homopolymerized to give a highly functionalized, novel poly(valerolactone). The presence of the pendant allyl substituent had a substantial impact on the thermal properties of these materials relative to conventional polyesters prepared from lactones, and most of the polymers presented here are liquids at room temperature. Dihydroxylation of the pendant allyl groups gave polyesters with increased hydrophilicity that degraded more or less rapidly depending on their extent of functionality. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 1983–1990, 2002     

Synthesis and photopolymerization of 1-propenyl glycidyl ether

The ambifunctional monomer, 1-propenyl glycidyl ether, was prepared from allyl glycidyl ether, by a ruthenium-catalyzed isomerization reaction in high yield. 1-Propenyl glycidyl ether undergoes facile photoinduced cationic polymerization to yield a crosslinked polymer. The structure of this polymer was studied using ¹H- and, ¹³C-NMR spectroscopies and employing well-characterized related polymers as models. The model polymers were prepared by the cationic polymerization of allyl glycidyl ether with BF₃OEt₂ followed by isomerization of the pendant allyl groups by a ruthenium catalyst. Subsequently, the resulting polyether-bearing pendant 1-propenyl ether groups was subjected to a diaryliodonium salt-photoinitiated polymerization. A comparison of the spectra of the polymers indicated the presence of cyclic acetal units in the polymer backbone. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Enzymatic polyesterification in organic media. Enzyme-catalyzed synthesis of linear polyesters. I. Condensation polymerization of linear hydroxyesters. II. Ring-opening polymerization of ϵ-caprolactone

With the object to synthesize polyesters by enzymatic catalysis in organic media, two directions have been investigated: (1) the condensation polymerization of linear ω-hydroxyesters and (2) the ring-opening polymerization of lactones. The commercially-available crude porcine pancreatic lipase (PPL), suspended in organic solvents, was the preferred enzyme for the reactions. In order to determine the optimal conditions for the condensation polymerization, the bifunctional methyl 6-hydroxyhexanoate was used as a model compound to study the influence of the following parameters: type of the enzymecatalyst, kind of solvent, concentration, temperature, duration, size of the reaction mixture, and stirring. Film-forming polyesters with a degree of polymerization (DP) up to about 100 were obtained from linear aliphatic hydroxyesters in n-hexane at reflux temperature (69°C). Yet concurrently with the intermolecular condensation polymerization, macrolactones were also formed by intramolecular reaction. Two aromatic hydroxyesters did not react under these conditions. For the ring-opening polymerization of lactones the reaction of ?-caprolactone with methanol as the preferred nucleophile, was studied. Polyesters with a DP of up to 35 were obtained in n-hexane at temperatures between 25 and 40°C. The degrees of polymerization of the polyesters were determined by comparative analyses of the end groups in the ¹H-NMR spectra and by determination of molecular weights either by vapor phase osmometry, gel permeation chromatography, or intrinsic viscosity. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Structure of poly(propylene oxide) obtained in the presence of K, K(15-crown-5)2

Potassium isopropoxide and potassium tetraethylene glycoxide vinyl ether as well as small amounts of dipotassium tri- and tetraethylene glycoxides are formed in the initiation step of propylene oxide polymerization by K⁻, K⁺(15-crown-5)₂. Chain transfer reactions occur during the polymerization. Therefore, macromolecules with various starting groups, i.e. with the isopropyl, vinyl, allyl, and propenyl ones, are obtained in the process. The kind of end groups generally depends on the quenching agent used for termination. However, the macromolecules terminated in the chain transfer reactions possess exclusively the hydroxyl end group. The functionality of protonated polymers is equal to about 1.2 as a result of propagation occurring on dipotassium glycoxides.     

Radical polymerization of allyl alcohol and allyl acetate

Monoallyl compounds are not readily homopolymerized by a conventional free‐radical mechanism. However, the polymerization of allylbiguanide hydrochloride was reported to proceed in a concentrated solution of hydrochloric or phosphoric acid in the presence of a radical initiator. Here we have studied the polymerization of allyl alcohol by a radical initiator in the presence of a Lewis acid (ZnCl₂, CuCl₂ or MgCl₂) in an organic solvent (toluene, hexane, methanol or isopropanol). Reactions were performed either at room temperature or 50°C under an atmosphere of nitrogen or in a sealed tube. The same polymerization was also carried out in water and in a concentrated acid solution. The polymer product was purified by dialysis in 0.2–3.7% yield and confirmed by elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy and ¹H NMR. The molecular weight range of poly(allyl alcohol) was 10,000–35,000. The polymerization of allyl acetate by the radical initiator under the above conditions gave poly(allyl acetate) with the molecular weight range of 10,000–13,800 by multi‐angle laser light scattering. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis and characterization of poly(N-acyl or N-aroyl ethylenimines) containing various pendant functional groups. I. Copolymers with pendant olefin groups

Decenyl (D) and heptyl (H) oxazolines were copolymerized in o-dichlorobenzene solvent using methyl 4-nitrobenzenesulfonate as an initiator. A series of decenyl/heptyl oxazolines random copolymers (or DH copolymers) with a total degree of polymerization of 100 and narrow molecular weight distribution were obtained. These copolymers are considered as the poly(N-acylethylenimine)s with allyl pendant groups randomly attached to the far end of their polymethylene, (SINGLE BOND)(CH₂)₇(SINGLE BOND), side chains. The polymers were characterized by NMR, FT–IR. Both DSC and x-ray diffractometer demonstrated that the polymers are highly crystalline. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Lactone Polymerization and Polymer Properties

Abstract

The polymerization of lactones provides a facile route to polyesters that is unimpeded by the long reaction cycles and elevated temperatures inherent in the condensation of hydroxyl and acid functional groups. Depending on the structure of the lactone monomer, catalyst/initiator systems are known which allow preparation of extremely high molecular weight polyesters of low polydispersity. In addition to obtaining high molecular weight polyesters in relatively short reaction cycles and at moderate temperature, lactone polymerization allows careful control of polymer end groups through proper selection of the initiating species. The type of end group plays an important role in both the thermal stability and hydrolytic stability of the resulting polyester. This study reviews and updates the field of lactone polymerization with specific emphasis on the chemistry and Theological     

Synthesis of polymers with hydroxyl end groups by atom transfer radical polymerization

Polymers prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) contain end groups defined by the initiator used. Alkyl halides, used as initiators, lead to polymers with an alkyl group at one end and a halide as the other chain end. Using functionalized initiators such as 2‐hydroxyethyl 2‐bromopropionate, hydroxyl groups can be directly incorporated at one polymer chain end while the other end functionality remains a halogen. The direct displacement of the halogen end groups with hydroxyl groups was unsuccessful due to side reactions such as elimination (for polystyrene) or hydrolysis of ester functions (for polyacrylate). Another approach to generate hydroxyl end groups was based on the substitution of the halogen end groups by ethanolamine. This was successful for polystyrene but additional substitution at the backbone esters was observed in polyacrylates. Multiple substitution reactions could be avoided by using 4‐aminobutanol instead of 2‐aminoethanol. Hydroxyl terminated polyacrylates were also obtained by extending the polyacrylate chain end with one allyl alcohol unit in a one‐pot process by adding an excess of allyl alcohol at the end of e polymerization of acrylate.     

P and H NMR studies of the transesterification polymerization of polyphosphonate oligomers

Polymeric phosphonate esters are an interesting class of organophosphorus polymers because both the polymer backbone and phosphorus substituents can be modified. These polymers have been prepared by ring-opening polymerizations of cyclic phosphites, stoichiometric polycondensations of dimethyl phosphonate with diols in conjunction with diazomethane treatment and by transesterification of polyphosphonate oligomers. Our initial attempts to prepare high molecular weight polymeric phosphonate esters by the transesterification methods were unsuccessful. Results indicate that the reactions of dimethyl phosphonate with diols to form polyphosphonate oligomers with only methyl phosphonate end groups are plagued by a serious side reaction that forms phosphonic acid end groups. These end groups do not participate in the transesterification reaction and limit the molecular weights of the polymers that can be obtained. The phosphonic acid end groups can be converted into reactive methyl phosphonate end groups by treatment with diazomethane, however diazomethane is explosive and the polymerization is slow. An alternative route for the production of high molecular weight polymers is the transesterification of the 1,12-bis(methyl phosphonato)dodecane, formed by the reaction of excess dimethyl phosphonate and 1,12-dodecanediol, with a Na₂CO₃ promoter. This allows polymers with molecular weights of up to 4.5×10⁴ to be prepared, and no phosphonic acid end groups are observed in these polymers. Thermal analyses of the poly(1,12-dodecamethylene phosphonate) have shown that this polymer has reasonable thermal stability (onset of thermal decomposition at 273 °C). This polymer also undergoes a cold crystallization process at 15 °C similar to that which has been observed in some polyesters, polyamides and elastomers.     

Thiol‐ene clickable hyperscaffolds bearing peripheral allyl groups

Radical catalyzed thiol‐ene reaction has become a useful alternative to the Huisgen‐type click reaction as it helps to expand the variability in reaction conditions as well as the range of clickable entities. Thus, direct generation of hyperbranched polymers bearing peripheral allyl groups that could be clicked using a variety of functional thiols would be of immense value. A specifically designed AB₂ type monomer, that carries two allyl benzyl ethers groups and one alcohol functionality, was shown to undergo self‐condensation under acid‐catalyzed melt‐transetherification to yield a hyperbranched polyether that carries numerous allyl end‐groups. Importantly, it was shown that the kinetics of polymerization is not dramatically affected by the change of the ether unit from previously studied methyl benzyl ether to an allyl benzyl ether. The peripheral allyl groups were readily clicked quantitatively, using a variety of thiols, to generate an hydrocarbon‐soluble octadecyl‐derivative, amphiphilic systems using 2‐mercaptoethanol and chiral amino acid (N‐benzoyl cystine) derivatized hyperbranched structures; thus demonstrating the versatility of this novel class of clickable hyperscaffolds. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Bis allyl benzoxazine: Synthesis, polymerisation and polymer properties

A bis benzoxazine monomer with allyl groups viz: 2,2′-bis (8-allyl-3-phenyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,3-benzoxazinyl) propane (Bz-allyl) was synthesized via a solventless method from 2,2′diallyl bisphenol-A, paraformaldehyde and aniline. The chemical structure of Bz-allyl was confirmed by FTIR, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR analyses. The monomer manifested a two-stage thermal polymerisation pattern. The first stage was attributed to the polymerisation of the allyl groups and the second to the ring - opening polymerisation of benzoxazine moiety. The polymerisation profile was investigated with DSC, FT-IR, TGA and pyrolysis-GC techniques. A polymerisation mechanism involving the electrophilic addition of the propagating iminium cation on the aniline ring in lieu of the activated sites of bisphenol-A, (which are blocked by allyl and alkyl substituents) was proposed. Additional cross-linking was provided by thermal addition polymerization of allyl groups. As a result of altered cross-linking via the aniline moiety and the additional cross-linking via allyl groups, the cured polymer exhibited a T_g of ca. 300 °C and high crosslink density. The thermal stability of this polymer was also substantially higher vis-à-vis that of the bisphenol-A based polybenzoxazine. The work focuses on the manipulation of benzoxazine monomer structure to alter the ring-opening polymerisation mechanism and cross-linking to derive polybenzoxazine with improved properties.     

A macromonomer approach to the synthesis of poly(1,1‐bis(ethoxycarbonyl)‐2‐vinyl cyclopropane‐graft‐dimethyl siloxane)

Poly(1,1‐bis(ethoxycarbonyl)‐2‐vinyl cyclopropane (ECVP)‐graft‐dimethyl siloxane) copolymers were prepared using a macromonomer approach. Poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) macromonomers were prepared by living anionic polymerization of cyclosiloxanes followed by sequential chain‐end capping with allyl chloroformate. These macromonomers were then copolymerized with ECVP. MALDI‐ToF mass spectrometry and ¹H NMR spectroscopy were used to show that the macromonomers had approximately 80% of the end groups functionalized with allyl carbonate groups. Gradient polymer elution chromatography showed that high yields of the graft copolymers were obtained, along with only small fractions of the PECVP and PDMS homopolymers. Differential scanning calorimetry showed that the low glass transition temperature (T_g) of the PDMS component could be maintained in the graft copolymers. However, the T_g was a function of polymer composition and the polymers produced had T_gs that ranged from ?50 to ?120 °C. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Unsaturated,biobased polyesters and their cross‐linking via radical copolymerization

Biobased, unsaturated polyesters derived from isosorbide, maleic anhydride, and succinic acid were synthesized and characterized. The presence of maleic anhydride units in the structure of the polyesters allowed converting them into cured coatings by radical copolymerization with crosslinking agents such as 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate, N‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidinone, acrylic acid or methacrylamide. The investigated polyesters were obtained via bulk polycondensation, catalyzed by titanium(IV) n‐butoxide. 2D NMR and MALDI‐Tof‐MS spectroscopy proved that this polymerization resulted in isomerization of maleic acid units into fumaric ones and in the formation of slightly branched structures by the reaction of isosorbide (end) groups with main chain unsaturated bonds. Moreover, some double bonds proved to have reacted with the condensation by‐product water. The resulting polyesters displayed the expected correlation between variables such as molecular weight and content of unsaturated bonds and their T_g values. Since the thermal properties of the obtained polyesters were appropriate for coating applications, the polymers were crosslinked with unsaturated monomers by radical copolymerization. The crosslinking process was studied using FTIR spectroscopy and by measurements of the soluble part of the cured coatings. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 2885–2895, 2010     

Synthesis of Isotactic–Heterotactic Stereoblock (Hard–Soft) Poly(lactide) with Tacticity Control through Immortal Coordination Polymerization

A one‐pot method for the preparation of a new family of PLA materials is reported that combines heterotactic (soft) and isotactic stereoblocks (hard). The ring‐opening polymerization of rac‐lactide with a salan–rare‐earth‐metal–alkyl complex in the presence of excess triethanolamine was performed in an immortal mode to give three‐armed heterotactic poly(lactide) (soft) with excellent end‐hydroxy fidelity. The in situ addition of a salen–aluminum–alkyl precursor to the above polymerization system under any monomer‐conversion conditions activated the “dormant” hydroxy‐ended PLA chains to propagate through the incorporation of the remaining rac‐lactide monomer, but with isospecific selectivity (hard). The resultant PLA had a three‐armed architecture with controlled molecular weight and extremely narrow molecular‐weight distribution (PDI<1.08). More strikingly, each side‐arm simultaneously possessed highly heterotactic (soft) and highly isotactic (hard) segments and the ratio of these two stereoregular sequences could be swiftly adjusted by tuning the addition time of the salen–aluminum–alkyl precursor to the polymerization system. Therefore, star‐shaped hard–soft stereoblock poly(lactide)s with various P_m values and crystallinity were achieved in a single reactor for the first time. This strategy should be applicable to the synthesis of a series of new types of stereoblock polyesters by using an immortal‐polymerization process and a proper choice of specific, selective metal‐based catalysts.     

Functionalization of polymers prepared by ATRP using radical addition reactions

Low molecular weight linear poly(methyl acrylate), star and hyperbranched polymers were synthesized using atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and end‐functionalized using radical addition reactions. By adding allyltri‐n‐butylstannane at the end of the polymerization of poly(methyl acrylate), the polymer was terminated by allyl groups. When at high conversions of the acrylate monomer, allyl alcohol or 1,2‐epoxy‐5‐hexene, monomers which are not polymerizable by ATRP, were added, alcohol and epoxy functionalities respectively were incorporated at the polymer chain end. Functionalization by radical addition reactions was demonstrated to be applicable to multi‐functional polymers such as hyperbranched and star polymers.     

Transparent Films from CO2‐Based Polyunsaturated Poly(ether carbonate)s: A Novel Synthesis Strategy and Fast Curing

Transparent films were prepared by cross‐linking polyunsaturated poly(ether carbonate)s obtained by the multicomponent polymerization of CO₂, propylene oxide, maleic anhydride, and allyl glycidyl ether. Poly(ether carbonate)s with ABXBA multiblock structures were obtained by sequential addition of mixtures of propylene oxide/maleic anhydride and propylene oxide/allyl glycidyl ether during the polymerization. The simultaneous addition of both monomer mixtures provided poly(ether carbonate)s with AXA triblock structures. Both types of polyunsaturated poly(ether carbonate)s are characterized by diverse functional groups, that is, terminal hydroxy groups, maleate moieties along the polymer backbone, and pendant allyl groups that allow for versatile polymer chemistry. The combination of double bonds substituted with electron‐acceptor and electron‐donor groups enables particularly facile UV‐ or redox‐initiated free‐radical curing. The resulting materials are transparent and highly interesting for coating applications.     

Aromatic polyesters containing cardo perhydrocumyl cyclohexylidene groups: Synthesis,characterization and gas permeation study

Three bisphenols containing cardo perhydrocumyl cyclohexylidene group, namely; 1,1-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4-perhydrocumylcyclohexane, 1,1-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methylphenyl)-4-perhydrocumylcyclohexane and 1,1-bis(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylphenyl)-4-perhydrocumylcyclohexane were synthesized starting from p-cumyl phenol. Each of these bisphenols was polycondensed with both terephthaloyl chloride and isophthaloyl chloride by phase transfer-catalyzed interfacial polymerization to obtain a series of new aromatic polyesters. Inherent viscosities and number average molecular weights of polyesters were in the range 0.51-0.64 dL/g and 17390-41430?g/mol, respectively which indicated the formation of reasonably high molecular weight polymers. The detailed NMR studies revealed that axial and equatorial identity of the phenyl rings of bisphenols was retained in polyesters resulting in constitutional isomerism. Polyesters containing perhydrocumyl cyclohexylidene groups showed excellent solubility in organic solvents viz, chloroform, dichloromethane, 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane and tetrahydrofuran. The self-standing films of polyesters could be cast from their chloroform solution. The 10% weight loss temperatures and glass transition temperatures of polyesters were in the range 453–485?°C and 201–267?°C, respectively demonstrating their excellent thermal characteristics. The gas permeability study of polyesters was carried out for He, H₂ and N₂ by variable-volume method. An improvement in permeability and decrease in selectivity was observed due to symmetric methyl substituents while reverse trend was observed in case of polyesters with asymmetric methyl substituents.     

Synthesis, characterization and degradation of well-defined crosslinkable aliphatic polyesters end-capped by biomesogenic units

Novel biodegradable-cum-crosslinkable polyesters end-capped by biomesogenic units, cinnamic acid (CA) and ferulic acid (FA), were synthesized via chain-growth polycondensation in solid-liquid phase. The chemical structure of synthesized polymers was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H NMR). The composition of polyesters, which was calculated by ¹H NMR, was in agreement with the feed ratios. The thermal properties and crystallinity of polyesters were measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), wide angle X-ray diffraction (WXRD) and polarizing-light microscopy (PLM). It was found that the polyesters possessed good crystallinity. Furthermore, the obtained polyesters could be crosslinked with methyl methacrylate (MMA), n-butyl acrylate (BA) and styrene (St) under thermal condition. The crosslinked products possessed degradability in phosphate buffer solution at 37 °C, which might be potentially applied as biomaterials.     

Macromolecular engineering of polylactones and polylactides. X. Selective end-functionalization of poly(D,L)-lactide

Functional aluminum alkoxides, such as Et_3–pAl(O? CH₂? X)_p, where p = 1,3 and X = a functional group, are very effective initiators for the (D, L)-lactide polymerization in toluene at 70°C. The coordination-insertion type of polymerization is living. Linear polyesters of a predictable molecular weight and a narrow molecular weight distribution are obtained within the period of time required for the total monomer conversion. The functional group (X) associated with the active alkoxy group of the initiator is selectively and quantitatively attached to one chain end, whereas the second end group is systematically a hydroxyl function resulting from the hydrolysis of the living growing site. Asymmetric telechelic polylactides are thus obtained in a perfectly controlled way. A kinetic study has shown that the polymerization is first order in both the monomer and initiator. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Bulk polymerization of diallyl benzene-dicarboxylates I. Influence of temperature on allyl group reactivity

The bulk polymerization of the three isomeric diallyl benzene-dicarboxylates was carried out in the temperature range 80–285°C. The progress of the polymerization process was examined by determination of the conversion of allyl groups double bonds. The reactivity of these groups in the polymerization increases in the following order of isomers: ortho < para < meta at 80–230°C. At temperatures above 200°C the thermal polymerization with activation energies for ortho, meta and para isomers 32, 27, and 28 kcal/mol of allyl group, respectively, has been observed. With the increase of temperature from 80 to 230°C for each of the monomers the number of allyl groups consumed when forming one C? C chain (degree of chain polymerization) decreases, but at the same time the kinetic chain length increases several times. The results have been explained by the growing role of chain transfer reactions with simultaneous increase of an ability to reinitiation by occured radicals. The mechanisms of thermal polymerization have been proposed.