Preparation of soluble microgel by the copolymerization of methylmethacrylate with p-divinylbenzene in the presence of tetrabromomethane

Various types of soluble crosslinked polymers obtained from the copolymerization of methylmethacrylate (MMA) and p-divinylbenzene (p-DVB) in the presence of a transfer agent (CBr₄) have been discussed in relation to the variation of the structure during the reaction time. When [p-DVB]/[MMA] = 1.49 × 10^?3 and [CBr₄]/[MMA] = 1.28 × 10^?4, only linear polymers (primary polymer; M _n = 1.0 × 10⁵) with pendant vinyl groups are formed intially. Considerable branched structure is attained in rather large polymers (M _n = 2.5 × 10⁵), but the number of pendant double bonds is not enough to reach the gelation. As the concentration of the transfer agent becomes high, the intermolecular crosslinking is depressed, and the formed polymers contain loops and short chains. At [p – DVB]/[MMA] = 7.43 × 10^?3 and [CBr₄]/[MMA] = 1.28 × 10^?3, the shape of polymer with the same M _n became compact gradually with increasing reaction time. These results are considered to be useful for the preparation of soluble crosslinked polymer with controlled structure.     

A STUDY OF LOW-TEMPERATURE CRYSTALLIZATION BEHAVIOR THE cis-1,4 POLYBUTADIENE PREPARED WITH RARE-EARTH CATALYST SYSTEM

The effects of molecular weight and temperature on crystallization processes at low tempera-ture for cis-1,4 polybutadiene prepared with rare-earth catalyst (Ln-PB) have been studied by WAXDmethod. In the range of molecular weight from     

Grafting onto carbon black by the reaction of reactive carbon black having masked isocyanate or acyl azide group with functional polymers

Although isocyanate group (NCO) introduced onto carbon black surface was inactivated rapidly upon storage, it could be stabilized by masking the NCO group with active hydrogen compounds such as acetylacetone, diethyl malonate, and sodium hydrogensulfite. Upon heating these carbon blacks having masked NCO group at 150°C, the NCO group was regenerated on carbon black by the decomposition of the masked NCO group. On the other hand, acyl azide (CON₃) group introduced onto carbon black was stable at below 20°C, but readily decomposed to NCO group by heating. By means of the reaction of NCO group on carbon black with functional polymers having hydroxyl, amino, and carboxyl group, these polymers were effectively grafted onto carbon black surface. When carbon black having CON₃ group was used as reactive carbon black, the grafting ratio of diol-type polyethylene glycol (M_n = 8.2 × 10³), polyethyleneimine (M_n = 2.0 × 10⁴), polyvinyl alcohol (M_n = 2.2 × 10⁴), and bifunctional carboxyl-terminated polystyrene (M_n = 1.1 × 10⁵) was determined to be 29.7, 81.7, 32.2, and 50.4%, respectively. The number of grafted polymer chain decreases with an increase in molecular weight of the polymers, because the shielding effect of NCO group by grafted polymer chain is enhanced with an increase in molecular weight of the polymer.     

Cationic 1,2-vinyl addition polymerization of cyclic ketene acetals initiated by conventional acids

Pure 1,2-addition polymers, poly(2-methylene-1,3-dioxolane), 1b , poly(2-methylene-1,3-dioxane), 2b , and poly(2-methylene-5,5-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane), 3b , were prepared using the cationic initiators H₂SO₄, TiCl₄, BF₃, and also Ru(PPh₃)₃Cl₂. Small ester carbonyl bands in the IR spectra of 1b and 2b were observed when the polymerizations were performed at 80°C ( 1b ) and both 67 and 138°C ( 2b ) using Ru(PPh₃)₃Cl₂. The poly(cyclic ketene acetals) were stable if they were not exposed to acid and water. They were quite thermally stable and did not decompose until 290°C ( 1b ), 240°C ( 2b ), and 294°C ( 3b ). Different chemical shifts for axial and equatorial H and CH₃ on the ketal rings were found in the ¹H NMR spectrum of 3b at room temperature. High molecular weight 3b (M̄_n = 8.68 × 10⁴, M̄_w = 1.31 × 10⁵, M̄_z = 1.57 × 10⁵) was obtained upon cationic initiation by H₂SO₄. Poly(2-methylene-1,3-dioxane), 2b , underwent partial hydrolysis when Ru(PPh₃)₃Cl₂ and water were present in the polymer. The hydrolyzed products were 1,3-propanediol and a polymer containing both poly(2-methylene-1,3-dioxane) and polyketene units. The percentages of these two units in the hydrolyzed polymer were about 32% polyketene and 68% poly(2-methylene-1,3-dioxane). No crosslinked or aromatic structures were observed in the hydrolyzed products. The molecular weight of hydrolyzed polymer was M̄_n = 5740, M̄_w = 7260, and M̄_z = 9060. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 3707–3716, 1997     

Polymerization of arylallenes catalyzed by organo-rhodium(I) and -cobalt (I) complexes to give structurally regulated high-mass polymers

Organorhodium complexes, such as RhH(PPh₃)₄, RhH(CO)(PPh₃)₃, Rh(η³-C₃H₄Ph)(CO)(PPh₃)₂, and RhH(dppe)₂ [dppe = 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphinoethane)], catalyze polymerization of phenylallene and of 4-methylphenylallene at 60 °C. High-molecular-weight polymers (M_n>4×10⁵) are isolated from the reaction products by removing the low-molecular-weight (M_n<3×10³) acetone-soluble fraction. The NMR (¹H and ¹³C{¹H}) spectra of poly(phenylallene) (1) and poly(4-methylphenylallene) (2) show the structure formed through selective 2,3-polymerization of the monomers, while similarly obtained poly(2-naphthylallene) (3) is characterized only by ¹H NMR spectroscopy due to its low solubility in common organic solvents. 4-Fluorophenylallene and 4-(trifluoromethyl)-phenylallene do not polymerize under similar conditions in the presence of RhH(PPh₃)₄ catalyst but are turned into low-molecular-weight oligomers. CoH(N₂)(PPh₃)₃-catalyzed polymerization of phenylallene and 4-methylphenylallene at room temperature gives the corresponding polymers with molecular weights in the range M_n=(9–15)×10⁴, in high yields. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rate constants for hydrogen abstraction reactions of the sulfate radical,SO4−. Alkanes and ethers

Rate constants have been determined for the reactions of SO₄^? with a series of alkanes and ethers. The SO₄^? radical was produced by the laser-flash photolysis of persulfate, S₂O₈^2?. For methane, only an upper limit of 1 × 10⁶ M^?1 s^?1 could be determined. For ethane, propane, and 2-methylpropane, rate constants of 0.44, 4.0, and 10.5 × 10⁷ M^?1 s^?1 were found. For ethyl and n-propyl ether, rate constants of 1.3 × 10⁸ and 2.2 × 10⁸ M^?1 s^?1 were found and for 1,4-dioxane and tetrahydrofuran, rate constants of 7.2 × 10⁷ and 2.8 × 10⁸ were obtained. The reaction of SO₄^? with allyl alcohol was also studied and found to have a rate constant of 1.4 × 10⁹ M^?1 s^?1.     

The true molecular weight distributions of acrylate polymers formed in propagating fronts

We have analyzed fractionated samples of poly(methacrylic acid) produced in a propagating front for the amount of anhydride that formed and determined that a large percentage of acid groups exist as anhydrides (>20%). By analyzing the samples after cleavage, we found that the molecular weight dropped significantly (from M_n = 1.4 × 10⁵ to M_n = 1.0 × 10⁴). We conclude that the high molecular weights observed previously were the result of intermolecular anhydride formation. Poly(butyl acrylate), which cannot form anhydride bonds, produced in fronts had broad (M_w/M_n = 1.7–2.0) but unimodal molecular weight distributions with M_u < 10⁵. The average molecular weight decreased with increasing initiator concentrations. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Solution thermodynamics and preferential solvation of triclocarban in {1,4-dioxane (1) + water (2)} mixtures at 298.15 K

The equilibrium solubility and preferential solvation of triclocarban in {1,4-dioxane (1) + water (2)} mixtures at 298.15 K was reported. Mole fraction solubility varies continuously from 2.85 × 10^–9 in neat water to 2.39 × 10^–3 in neat 1,4-dioxane. Solubility behaviour was adequately correlated by means of the Jouyban-Acree model. Based on the inverse Kirkwood-Buff integrals, preferential solvation parameters were calculated. Triclocarban is preferentially solvated by water in water-rich mixtures (0.00 < x₁ < 0.18) and also in 1,4-dioxane-rich mixtures (0.78 < x₁ < 1.00) but preferentially solvated by 1,4-dioxane in mixtures with similar solvent compositions.     

Novel neodymium (III) isopropoxide‐methylaluminoxane catalyst for isoprene polymerization

A novel catalyst composed of neodymium (III) isopropoxide [Nd(OiPr)₃] and methylaluminoxane (MAO) was examined in isoprene polymerization. The Nd(OiPr)₃‐MAO catalyst proved to be highly effective in heptane even at low [Al]/[Nd] ratios (ca. 30) to give polyisoprene that possessed high cis‐1,4 stereoregularity (> ca. 90%), a high number‐average molecular weight (M_n ～10⁵), and relatively narrow molecular weight distributions (M_w/M_n = 1.9–2.8). The catalyst activity increased with an increasing [Al]/[Nd] ratio from 10 to 80 as well as temperature of aging and polymerization from 0 to 60 °C. The polymerization proceeded in the first order with respect to the monomer concentration. Aliphatic solvents (heptane and cyclohexane) achieved a higher yield and M_n of polymer than toluene as a solvent. The M_w/M_n ratio remained around 2.0, and the gel permeation chromatographic curve was always unimodal, indicating that this system is homogeneous and involves a single active site. The microstructure of polyisoprene was determined by IR, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR. The cis‐1,4 contents of the final polymers stayed in the range of 90–92%, regardless of reaction conditions, indicating the high stability of stereospecificity of the catalyst. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 1838–1844, 2002     

Effects of organometallic cocatalysts on the polymerization of disubstituted acetylenes by TaCl5 and NbCl5

The effects of organometallic cocatalysts on the polymerization of disubstituted acetylenes were investigated. Diphenylacetylene did not polymerize with TaCl₅ alone, while it produced a polymer quantitatively in the presence of appropriate cocatalysts (Me₄Sn, Et₃SiH, etc.). The poly(diphenylacetylene) formed was an insoluble yellow solid. 1-Phenyl-1-alkynes (1-Phenyl-1-butyne and -1-octyne) polymerized with TaCl₅ and NbCl₅ alone to yield polymers whose weight-average molecular weights (M _w's) were ca. 5 × 10⁵. Use of cocatalysts (nBu₄Sn etc.) to the polymerization of these monomers accelerated the reaction, and increased the polymer molecular weights up to ca. 1.5 × 10⁶. The poly(1-phenyl-1-alkynes) were soluble white solids. Internal octynes (2-, 3-, and 4-octynes) gave mixtures of a polymer and cyclotrimers with TaCl₅ alone. In contrast, cyclotrimers formed virtually selectively by addition of cocatalysts. Thus, various effects of organometallic cocatalysts were observed depending on the kind of monomer.     

Synthesis of poly(p‐phenylene) macromonomers and multiblock copolymers

Rigid‐rod poly(4′‐methyl‐2,5‐benzophenone) macromonomers were synthesized by Ni(0) catalytic coupling of 2,5‐dichloro‐4′‐methylbenzophenone and end‐capping agent 4‐chloro‐4′‐fluorobenzophenone. The macromonomers produced were labile to nucleophilic aromatic substitution. The molecular weight of poly(4′‐methyl‐2,5‐benzophenone) was controlled by varying the amount of the end‐capping agent in the reaction mixture. Glass‐transition temperatures of the macromonomers increased with increasing molecular weight and ranged from 117 to 213 °C. Substitution of the macromonomer end groups was determined to be nearly quantitative by ¹H NMR and gel permeation chromatography. The polymerization of a poly(4′‐methyl‐2,5‐benzophenone) macromonomer [number‐average molecular weight (M_n) = 1.90 × 10³ g/mol; polydispersity (M_w)/M_n = 2.04] with hydroxy end‐capped bisphenol A polyaryletherketone (M_n = 4.50 × 10³ g/mol; M_w/M_n = 1.92) afforded an alternating multiblock copolymer (M_n = 1.95 × 10⁴ g/mol; M_w/M_n = 6.02) that formed flexible, transparent films that could be creased without cracking. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 39: 3505–3512, 2001     

Highly stereospecific protonation of stereoregular living PMMA anions with several alcohols

Living and highly isotactic poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) anion (M̄n = 2.5 × 10³) prepared with t-C₄H₉MgBr as an initiator was protonated with phenol in toluene at −78°C. The reaction was stereospecific toward meso addition, and the meso/racemo ratio at the chain-end of the resultant polymer was 89/11. Addition of 1,4-dioxane to the living isotactic PMMA anion in toluene at −78°C remarkably reduced the viscosity of the system, and protonation of the PMMA anion with phenol in the presence of 1,4-dioxane enhanced the meso-specificity to 94%. On the other hand, the protonation reaction of the living syndiotactic PMMA anion (M̄n = 2.5 × 10³), which was generated by t-C₄H₉Li/(n-C₄H₉)₃Al in toluene at −93°C, with t-butanol was found to be 97% racemo-specific. These highly stereospecific protonation reactions of the stereoregular PMMA anions were in contrast to the protonation of the anions with methanol or benzyl alcohol which was almost non-stereospecific.     

Emulsion polymerization of vinyl acetate using iodine‐transfer and RAFT radical polymerizations

This study deals with control of the molecular weight and molecular weight distribution of poly(vinyl acetate) by iodine‐transfer radical polymerization and reversible addition‐fragmentation transfer (RAFT) emulsion polymerizations as the first example. Emulsion polymerization using ethyl iodoacetate as the chain transfer agent more closely approximated the theoretical molecular weights than did the free radical polymerization. Although ¹H NMR spectra indicated that the peaks of α‐ and ω‐terminal groups were observed, the molecular weight distributions show a relatively broad range (M_w/M_n = 2.2–4.0). On the other hand, RAFT polymerizations revealed that the dithiocarbamate 7 is an excellent candidate to control the polymer molecular weight (M_n = 9.1 × 10³, M_w/M_n = 1.48), more so than xanthate 1 (M_n = 10.0 × 10³, M_w/M_n = 1.89) under same condition, with accompanied stable emulsions produced. In the M_n versus conversion plot, M_n increased linearly as a function of conversion. We also performed seed‐emulsion polymerization using poly(nonamethylene L ‐tartrate) as the chiral polyester seed to fabricate emulsions with core‐shell structures. The control of polymer molecular weight and emulsion stability, as well as stereoregularity, is also discussed. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Synthesis and Characterization of Poly(chiral methylpropargyl ester)s Carrying Azobenzene Moieties

Novel chiral methylpropargyl esters bearing azobenzene groups, namely, 4‐[4′‐(benzyloxy)phenylazophenyl]‐ carbonyl‐(S)‐1‐methylpropargyl ester ( e ), 4‐[4′‐(n‐butyloxy)phenylazophenyl]carbonyl‐(S)‐1‐methylpropargyl ester ( f ), 4‐[4′‐(n‐hexyloxy)phenylazophenyl]carbonyl‐(S)‐1‐methylpropargyl ester ( g ), and 4‐[4′‐(n‐octyloxy)phenylazo‐ phenyl]carbonyl‐(S)‐1‐methylpropargyl ester ( h ) were synthesized and polymerized with Rh⁺(nbd)[η⁶‐C₆H₅B^?‐ (C₆H₅)₃] (nbd=norbornadiene) catalyst to give the corresponding polymers with moderate molecular weights (M_n=8.4×10³–15.7×10³) in good yields (76%? –?91%). The structures of polymers were illustrated by IR and NMR spectroscopies. Polymers were soluble in comment organic solvents including toluene, CHCl₃ CH₂Cl₂, THF, and DMSO, while insoluble in diethyl ether, n‐hexane and methanol. Large optical rotations of polymer solutions demonstrated that all the polymers take a helical structure with a predominantly one‐handed screw sense in organic solvents.     

Living cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers with carboxylic acid/tin tetrahalide initiating systems. I. New initiating systems based on acetic acid and selection of Lewis acid and basic additive leading to living polymers with low polydispersity

Cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE) with acetic acid (CH₃COOH)/tin tetrahalide (SnX₄: X = Cl, Br, I) initiating systems in toluene solvent at 0°C was investigated, and the reaction conditions for living polymerization of IBVE with the new initiating systems were established. Among these tin tetrahalides, SnBr₄ was found to be the most suitable Lewis acid to obtain living poly(IBVE) with a narrow molecular weight distribution (MWD). The polymerization with the CH₃COOH/SnBr₄ system, however, was accompanied with the formation of a small amount of another polymer fraction of very broad MWD, probably due to the occurrence of an uncontrolled initiation by SnBr₄ coupled with protonic impurity. Addition of 1,4-dioxane (1–1.25 vol %) or 2,6-di-tert-butylpyridine (0.1–0.6mM) to the polymerization mixture completely eliminated the uncontrolled polymer to give only the living polymer with very narrow MWD (M _w/M _n ≤ 1.1; M _w, weight-average molecular weight; M _n, number-average molecular weight). The M _n of the polymers increased in direct proportion to monomer conversion, continued to increase upon sequential addition of a fresh monomer feed, and was in good agreement with the calculated values assuming that one CH₃COOH molecule formed one polymer chain. Along with these results, kinetic study and direct ¹H-NMR observation of the living polymerization indicated that CH₃COOH and SnBr₄ act as so-called “initiator” and “activator”, respectively, and the living polymerization proceeds via an activation of the acetate dormant species. The basic additives such as 1,4-dioxane and 2,6-di-tert-butylpyridine would serve mainly as a “suppressor” of the uncontrolled initiation by SnBr₄. The polymers produced after quenching the living polymerization with methanol possessed the acetate dormant terminal and they induced living polymerization of IBVE in conjunction with SnBr₄ in the presence of 1,4-dioxane. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 3173–3185, 1998     

Enzymatic synthesis of a soluble polyphenol derivative from 4,4′-biphenyldiol

Enzymatic oxidative polymerization of 4,4′-biphenyldiol was performed in an aqueous organic solvent using horseradish peroxidase as catalyst. In the polymerization using a mixture of 1,4-dioxane and phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) (80:20 vol-%) as solvent, the monomer was quantitatively consumed to give powdery polymeric materials in a high yield. The resulting polymer is soluble in polar solvents such as N,N-dimethylformamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, and acetone. The molecular weight of the methylated product is 7.3 × 10³. The polymer exhibits high thermal stability under nitrogen.     

Synthesis of arborescent polystyrene by “click” grafting

A method was developed for the synthesis of arborescent polystyrene by “click” coupling. Acetylene functionalities were introduced on linear polystyrene (M_n = 5300 g/mol, M_w/M_n = 1.05) by acetylation and reaction with potassium hydroxide, 18‐crown‐6 and propargyl bromide in toluene. Polymerization of styrene with 6‐tert‐butyldimethylsiloxyhexyllithium yielded polystyrene (M_n = 5200 g/mol, M_w/M_n = 1.09) with a protected hydroxyl chain end. Deprotection, followed by conversions to tosyl and azide functionalities, provided the side chain material. Coupling with CuBr and N,N,N′,N″,N″‐pentamethyldiethylenetriamine proceeded in up to 94% yield. Repetition of the grafting cycles led to well‐defined (M_w/M_n ≤ 1.1) polymers of generations G1 and G2 in 84% and 60% yield, respectively, with M_n and branching functionalities reaching 2.8 × 10⁶ g/mol and 460, respectively, for the G2 polymer. Coupling longer (M_n = 45,000 g/mol) side chains with acetylene‐functionalized substrates was also examined. For a linear substrate, a G0 polymer with M_n = 4.6 × 10⁵ g/mol and M_w/M_n = 1.10 was obtained in 87% yield; coupling with the G0 (M_n = 52,000 g/mol) substrate produced a G1 polymer (M_n = 1.4×10⁶ g/mol, M_w/M_n = 1.38) in 28% yield. The complementary approach using azide‐functionalized substrates and acetylene‐terminated side chains was also investigated, but proceeded in lower yield. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 1730–1740     

Radical polyaddition of bis(α-trifluoromethyl-β-difluorovinyl) terephthalate with 1,4-dioxane

To develop a radical polyaddition reaction of 2-benzoyloxypentafluoropropene [CF₂C(CF₃)-OCOC₆H₅] (BPFP) with tetrahydrofuran (THF), the reactions of bis(α-trifluoromethyl-β-difluorovinyl) terephthalate [CF₂C(CF₃)OCOC₆H₄COOC(CF₃)CF₂] (BFP) with THF and of BPFP with 1,4-dioxane were investigated as model reactions to form 1 : 1 and 1:2 addition products of BFP with THF. This evidenced that THF is monofunctional, and dioxane is bifunctional since the 1:1 and 2:1 addition products of BPFP with dioxane were formed. The polyaddition reaction of BFP with dioxane turned out to produce a white powdery substance which was found to possess a mole ratio of BFP units to dioxane units in the polymers of 1:1. The highest molecular weight obtained was M _n = 9.9 × 10³.     

Rotational diffusion of 9,10-diphenylanthracene in di-n-butyl phthalate solutions of polystyrenes by the fluorescence polarization method: Dependence on polymer concentration and molecular weight

A versatile double-beam polarization fluorimeter has been constructed for measuring the polarization of fluorescence from polymer solutions, melts, and glasses. Polarizations can be determined over a range of temperatures from ?20 to +80°C in a controlled atmosphere with a precision of ±0.001 to ±0.005 for the studies reported herein. Data collected at different temperatures for 1.5 × 10^?5M solutions of 9,10-diphenylanthracene (PA) in di-n-butyl phthalate (BP) fit a relation of the Perrin type, 1/P = (1/P₀) + (ST/_η1), where P is the polarization, T is the absolute temperature, and _η1 is the solvent viscosity. The constants P₀ and S were 0.400 ± 0.005 and (7.4 ± 0.3) × 10^?3 P/°K, respectively. Polarizations were also determined at 25.0 ± 0.1°C for BP solutions containing 1.5 × 10^?5M PA and polystyrenes at various weight fractions w₂ and molecular weights M. Rotational friction coefficients ζ_r deduced from these data showed no dependence on M from 5.1 × 10⁴ to 8.6 × 10⁵ g/mole, and a gradual increase as w₂ was varied from 0 to 0.1. It is concluded from these results that PA is an especially attractive emitter for rotational diffusion studies in nonaqueous systems, and that the abrupt changes in ζ_r with w₂ and M observed for some other emitter–polymer systems and attributed to onset of coil overlap are not universal characteristics of such systems.     

Effect of molecular weight on the refractive index increments of polystyrene,poly(ethylene glycol), poly(propylene glycol), and poly(dichlorophenylene oxide) in solution

The variation of refractive index increments with molecular weight has been studied using solutions of polystyrene (2.2 × 10³ < M_w < 1.8 × 10⁶), poly(ethylene glycol) (1.0 × 10³ < M_w < 2.0 × 10⁴), and poly(dichlorophenylene oxide) (3.3 × 10³ < M_w < 4.8 × 10⁵) in toluene and poly(propylene glycol) (1.2 × 10³ < M_w < 4.0 × 10³) in benzene. The refractive index increments of polyglycols containing aliphatic ether moieties are negative in these solvents. However, poly(dichlorophenylene oxide) polymers, which contain aromatic ether moieties, give positive values. Linear and branched halogenated poly(phenylene oxide)s show an asymptotic approach of the refractive index increment to the same limiting value, but the approach is more rapid for the branched polymer.