Polymerization of 1-ethynylcyclohexene by tungsten and molybdenum-based catalysts

1-Ethynylcyclohexene, an acetylene derivative having cyclohexenyl substituent, was polymerized by various W- and Mo-based catalysts. WCl₆-EtAlCl₂ catalyst system was found to be very effective for this polymerization. The effects of the monomer-to-catalyst mol ratio, the initial monomer concentration, the temperature, and the cocatalysts for the polymerization of 1-ethynylcyclohexene by WCl₆ were investigated. The catalytic activity of Mo-based catalysts was found to be similar to that of W-based catalysts. The polymer structure was identified to have a conjugated polymer backbone carrying a cyclohexenyl substituent. The resulting polymers were light-brown powder and completely soluble in aromatic and halogenated hydrocarbon solvents such as chlorobenzene, benzene, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, etc. Studies of the thermal properties and morphology of poly(1-ethynylcyclohexene) were also carried out. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Polymerization of 1-Ethynyl-1-Cyclohexanol by Transition Metal Catalysts

Abstract

The polymerization of 1-ethynyl-l-cyclohexanol (ECHO) was carried out by various transition metal catalysts. The Mo- and W-based catalysts gave a relatively low yield of polymer (≤32%). The catalytic activity of Mo-based catalysts was greater than that of W-based catalysts. PdCl₂ was a very effective catalyst for the present polymerization and gave a high yield of polymer. (Ph₃P)₂PdCl₂ and PtCl₂ were also found to be effective catalysts. The structure of the resulting poly(ECHO) was identified by various instrumental methods as a conjugated polyene structure having an α-hydroxycyclohexyl substituent. The poly(ECHO)s were mostly light-brown powders and completely soluble in various organic solvents such as chloroform, chlorobenzene, benzene, DMSO, and THF. Thermal and morphological properties were also studied.     

Polymerization of α-Hydroxyacetylenes by Transition Metal Catalysts

Abstract

α-Hydroxyacetylenes (2-propyn-1-ol, DL-3-butyn-2-ol, 1-octyn-3-ol, 2-phenyl-3-butyn-2-ol) with a hydroxy functional group were polymerized by various Mo- and W-based catalysts. In general, the catalytic activities of Mo-based catalysts were greater than those of W-based catalysts for these polymerizations. In the polymerization of 2-propyn-l-ol, MoCl₅ alone and the MoCl₅-EtAlCl₂ catalyst system gave a quantitative yield of polymer. In the polymerization of 2-propyn-l-ol and its homologues by Mo-based catalysts, the polymer yield decreased as the bulkiness of the substituent increased. On the other hand, the polymer yield increased as the bulkiness of the substituent increased in WCl₆-EtAlCl₂-catalyzed polymerization. Polymers with a bulkier substituent showed better solubility in organic solvents than those without a substituent [e.g., poly (2-propyn-l-ol)]. The structures of the resulting polymers were characterized by various instrumental methods such as ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR, IR, and UV-visible spectroscopies. Thermogravimetric analyses and thermal transitions of the resulting polymers were also studied.     

Synthesis and properties of poly(dipropargyl sulfoxide)

The preparation and cyclopolymerization of dipropargyl sulfoxide were studied. The polymerization of dipropargyl sulfoxide was carried out by various transition metal catalysts. WCl₆–EtAlCl₂, MoCl₅, and PdCl₂ catalyst systems were very effective. The resulting poly(dipropargyl sulfoxide) structures were characterized by NMR (¹H and ¹³C), IR, and elemental analysis to have conjugated polyene units. Poly(dipropargyl sulfoxide) prepared by PdCl₂ was mostly soluble in organic solvents such as DMF and DMSO. Thermal and oxidative properties of poly(dipropargyl sulfoxide) were also studied. The electrical conductivity of iodine-doped poly(dipropargyl sulfoxide) was 5.2 × 10^?2 Ω^?1 cm^?1. Comparisons of poly(dipropargyl sulfoxide) properties with other similar polymers from dipropargyl sulfur derivatives such as dipropargyl sulfide and dipropargyl sulfone were also carried out. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Polymerization of 1-methoxy-1-ethynylcyclohexane by transition metal catalysts

The polymerization of 1-methoxy-1-ethynylcyclohexane (MEC) was carried out by various transition metal catalysts. The catalysts MoCl₅, MoCl₄, and WCl₆ gave a relatively low yield of polymer (≤ 16%). The catalytic activity of Mo-based chloride catalyst was greater than that of W-based chloride catalyst. However, catalyst tungsten carbene complex (I) gave a larger molar mass and higher yield in the presence of a Lewis acid such as AlCl₃ than in the absence of a Lewis acid. The activity of the tungsten carbene complex was obviously affected by Lewis acidity. The catalyst PdCl₂ was a very effective catalyst for the present polymerization and gave polymers in a high yield. The structure of the resulting poly(MEC) was identified by various instrumental methods as a conjugated polyene structure having an α-methoxycyclohexyl substituent. The poly(MEC)s were mostly light-brown powders and completely soluble in various organic solvents such as tetrahydrofuran (THF), chloroform (CHCl₃), ethylacetate, n-butylacetate, dimethylformamide, benzene, xylene, dimethylacetamide, 1,4-dioxane, pyridine, and 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the polymer started to lose mass at 125°C and that maximum decomposition occurred at 418°C. The x-ray diffraction diagram shows that poly(MEC) has an amorphous structure. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis,geometric structure,and properties of poly(phenylacetylenes) with bulky para-substituents

Phenylacetylenes (PAs) with bulky substituents (adamantyl, tert-butyl, and n-butyl groups) at the para-position polymerized in good yields with Fe, Rh, Mo, and W catalysts. The formed polymers were soluble, and their number-average molecular weights were in the range of thousands to hundred thousands. Whereas it is known that the poly(PA) obtained with the Fe catalyst is an insoluble cis-cisoidal polymer, the present polymers formed with the same catalyst were totally soluble in many solvents such as benzene and CHCl₃. The ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR and DSC data revealed that both of the polymers formed with the Fe and Rh catalysts had virtually all-cis structures, while those with the Mo and W catalysts had cis-rich and trans-rich structures, respectively. Cis-cisoidal and cis-transoidal structures of para-substituted poly(PAs) could not be distinguished because of their good solubility. The bulky substituents raised the temperature of cis–trans isomerization and improved the thermal stability of the polymers. Poly(p-t-BuPA) showed gas permeability higher than that of poly(PA). © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 3157–3163, 1998     

Cyclopolymerization of dipropargylfluorene by transition‐metal catalysts

A fluorene‐containing spiro‐type conjugated polymer, poly(dipropargylfluorene), was synthesized via the cyclopolymerization of dipropargylfluorene by Mo‐ and W‐based transition‐metal catalysts. The polymerization of dipropargylfluorene proceeded well by MoCl₅ catalyst itself to give a quantitative yield of polymer. The Mo‐based catalysts are more effective than those of W‐based catalysts. The structure of poly(dipropargylfluorene) was characterized by various instrumental methods (NMR, IR, and UV–visible spectroscopies) to have the conjugated polymer backbone carrying fluorene moieties. Analysis of the ¹³C NMR spectrum revealed that the polymer structure consists of only six‐membered rings. The resulting poly(dipropargylfluorene)s were brown or black powder and soluble in aromatics and halogenated hydrocarbons such as benzene, chlorobenzene, tetrahydrofuran, chloroform, and methylene chloride. Thermal and morphological properties of the polymer are also discussed. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 39: 4101–4109, 2001     

Polymerization of tert-alkylacetylenes by Mo- and W-based catalysts

Polymerization of three tert-alkylacetylenes (3,3-dimethyl-1-pentyne, 3,3-dimethyl-1-nonyne, 1-adamantylacetylene) by Mo- and W-based catalysts provided new polymers in virtually quantitative yields. In contrast, Ziegler catalysts did not polymerize these monomers. Every polymer had a form of white solid, and had alternating double bonds along the main chain. Though some of poly(3,3-dimethyl-1-pentyne)s contained a toluene-insoluble fraction, the polymer was totally soluble when proper polymerization conditions were chosen. The molecular weights of soluble fractions were as high as 3 × 10⁵. Poly(3,3-dimethyl-1-nonyne) was also partly insoluble in toluene, and the quantity of soluble fraction was less than that of poly(3,3-dimethyl-1-pentyne). The geometric structure of these two polymers could be controlled by the choice of suitable polymerization conditions. Poly(1-adamantylacetylene) was insoluble in any organic solvents. Copolymerization of 1-adamantylacetylene with suitable comonomers afforded soluble copolymers.     

Poly(lactic acid) Synthesis in Solution Polymerization

The step-growth polymerization of L-lactic acid in solution was studied in this work. In order to attain a polymer with high molecular weight, the water formed during the polymerization must be continuously removed. The use of organic solvents with high boiling point, drying agents and reduced pressure led to poly(lactic acid) (PLA) with high molecular weight, directly from the monomer. Tin (II) chloride dihydrate, SnCl₂.2H₂O, was the best of the catalysts tested as it allowed achieving PLA with a molecular weight close to 80 000 g.mol⁻¹. However, the stereoregurarity control is a severe problem in PLA synthesis by step-growth due to transesterification reactions, which lead to an inversion of the conformation and a decrease of the optical purity of the polymer. Specific rotation measurements were used in this work and showed to be a powerful technique to evaluate the racemization extent. The thermal stability of the PLA samples was evaluated by DSC which exhibits a thermal behaviour similar to the commercial Polylactide.     

Crown Ether Phase Transfer Catalysts for An Ionic Polymerization of Bisphenol A / 4,4′‐Dichlorodiphenyl Sulfone

Various crown ethers were prepared and applied as phase transfer catalysts for the an ionic copolymerization of bisphenol A and 4,4′‐dichlorodiphenyl sulfone monomers with alkali salts, e.g., NaNH₂, NaOH and KOH, as initiators. The catalytic abilities of various crown ethers for the an ionic polymerization of bisphenol A / 4,4′‐dichlorodiphenyl sulfone were found to be in the order: 15‐crown‐5 ? monobenzo‐15‐crown‐5 > 18‐crown‐6 > Dicyclohexano‐18‐crown‐6 > Dibenzo‐18‐crown‐6 > 12‐crown‐4 with sodium amide (NaNH₂) as initiator. Sodium amide was shown to be a better initiator than NaOH or KOH with monobenzo‐ 15‐crown‐5 as a catalyst. Effects of solvents and temperature on the crown ether catalytic polymerization were also investigated. Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) exhibited much better for the polymerization than other organic solvents, e.g., toluene, p‐xylene, dimethyl formamide and dioxane. Higher polymerization was found at higher temperatures and about 100% yield of poly(bisphenol A / sulfone) was obtained at 125 °C in 3 hr. The molecular weight of poly(bisphenol A / sulfone) as a function of reaction time was determined with gel permeation chromatography. Concentration effects of crown ether on % yield and molecular weight of poly(bisphenol A / sulfone) were also investigated and discussed.     

Poly(vinyl alcohol)-Graft-Poly(ethylene glycol)-Supported Hydroxyproline Catalysis of Stereoselective Aldol Reactions

Summary: The good swelling and high loading of poly(vinyl alcohol)-graft-poly(ethylene glycol) (PVA-g-PEG) resins proved to be effective for performing supported proline-catalyzed aldol reactions stereoselectively in a wide range of polar non-protic, protic and non-polar solvents as well as in neat substrate. The catalysts could be recovered by filtration and recycled, without significant loss of activity. The use of poly(vinyl alcohol)-graft-poly(ethylene glycol) matrix improved the solubility of the proline-derived catalysts and expanded the scope of permissible solvents for performing selective aldol chemistry.     

Polymerization of Cyclohexene Oxide By Organoaluminum Compounds

Abstract

The polymerization of cyclohexene oxide (CHO) by various organoaluminum compounds such as R₃Al (R = Me, Et, i-Bu), Et₂AlCl, and EtAlCl₂ is reported. Ethyl-substituted aluminum compounds were found to be very effective for this polymerization. As more chlorine atom is substituted on the aluminum atom, the polymer yield was increased though the molecular weight was decreased. The polymer yields at varying monomer-to-catalyst mole ratios (M/C) were similar (80–93%). The temperature and solvent effect for the present polymerization were also studied. The present poly(CHO) was a less stereoregular (atactic) isomer, regardless of catalysts and polymerization conditions. The resulting poly(CHO) was a white powder ad was soluble in aromatic and halogenated hydrocarbon solvents such as benzene, chlorobenzene, CCl₄, chloroform, etc.     

Polymerization of acenaphthylene by transition metal catalysts

The polymerization of acenaphthylene (ACN) was examined in the presence of the group V and VI transition metal salts such as WCl₆, MoCl₅, TaCl₅, and NbCl₅, as catalysts under various reaction conditions. These transition metal salts were found to be effective catalysts for the polymerization of ACN. The polymerization of ACN by WCl₆ in chlorobenzene proceeded at a high initial rate when the monomer to catalyst mole ratio was 200. In addition, it was observed that aromatic solvents generally were found to be superior to aliphatic solvents for both conversion and molecular weight. The structure of the resulting polymers was characterized by means of NMR, IR, UV, and x-ray diffraction. Emission properties were also investigated. Fluorescence emission spectra of the polymers obtained by WCl₆ as a catalyst varied strongly depending on the polymerization solvent. Thus, it appears that the polyacenaphthylene produced by WCl₆ was a different configuration dependent on the polymerization solvents used.     

Synthesis of poly(urethane‐imide) using aromatic secondary amine‐blocked polyurethane prepolymer

A set of poly(urethane‐imide)s were prepared using blocked Polyurethane (PU) prepolymer and pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA). The PU prepolymer was prepared by the reaction of polyether glycol and 2,4‐tolylene diisocyanate, and end capped with N‐methyl aniline. The PU prepolymer was reacted with PMDA until the evolution of carbon dioxide ceased. The effect of tertiary amine catalysts, organo tin catalysts, solvents, and reaction temperature were studied and compared with the poly(urethane‐imide) prepared using phenol‐blocked PU prepolymer. N‐methyl aniline blocked PU prepolymer gave a higher molecular weight poly(urethane‐imide) at a lower reaction temperature in a shorter time. Amine catalysts were found to be more efficient than organo tin catalysts. The reaction was favorable in particular with N‐ethylmorpholine and diazabicyclo(2.2.2)octane (DABCO) as catalysts, and dimethylpropylene urea as a reaction medium. The poly(urethane‐imide)s were characterized by FTIR, GPC, TGA, and DSC analyses. The molecular weight decreased with an increase in reaction temperature. The thermal stability of the PU was found to increase by the introduction of imide component. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 4032–4037, 2000     

Novel fluorinated poly(aryl ether ketone)s

Two novel fluorinated monomers were prepared and polymerized with biphenols to produce amorphous, thermally stable poly(aryl ether ketone)s. The properties of the fluorinated polymers are compared to those of unfluorinated, amorphous poly(aryl ether ketone)s. The presence of fluorine in the polymers was found to cause a decrease in glass transition temperature and Young's moduli, however, no increase in thermal stability was observed. The fluorinated polymers are soluble in common organic solvents such as chloroform and methylene chloride at room temperature, and also show solubility in solvents containing a ketonic moiety, such as acetone. Evidence of polymer branching through fluorines considered to be unreactive under the polymerization conditions was found. Efforts were made to evaluate the reactivity of fluorine atoms under the polymerization conditions using both molecular modeling and ¹⁹F-NMR to ascertain if such branching could be avoided. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis and properties of novel poly(arylene ether)s and poly(arylene thioether)s based on a pyridazine biphenol or a phthalazine biphenol

Novel sulfur‐containing biphenol monomers were prepared in high yields by the reaction of 4‐mercaptophenol with chloropyridazine or chlorophthalazine compounds. High‐molecular‐weight poly(arylene ether)s were synthesized by a nucleophilic substitution reaction between these sulfur‐containing monomers and activated difluoro aromatic compounds. The inherent viscosities of these polymers ranged from 0.34 to 0.93 dL/g. The poly(pyridazine)s exhibited glass‐transition temperatures greater than 165 °C. The poly(phthalazine)s showed higher glass‐transition temperatures than the poly(pyridazine)s. A polymer synthesized from a bisphthalazinebiphenol and bis(4‐fluorophenyl)sulfone had the highest glass‐transition temperature (240 °C). The thermal stabilities of the poly(pyridazine)s and poly(phthalazine)s showed similar patterns of decomposition, with no significant weight loss below 390 °C. The poly(phthalazine)s were soluble in chlorinated solvents such as chloroform, and the poly(pyridazine)s were soluble in dipolar aprotic solvents such as N,N′‐dimethylacetamide. The soluble poly(pyridazine)s and poly(phthalazine)s could be cast into flexible films from solution. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 262–268, 2007     

Parameters affecting transition temperatures of poly(lactic acid‐co‐polydiols) copolymer‐based polyester urethanes and their shape memory behavior

A series of polyester urethanes (PEUs) comprising poly(lactic acid‐co‐polydiol) copolymers as a soft segment, 4,4′‐diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) and 1,4‐butanediol (BDO) as a hard segment were systematically synthesized. Soft segments, which were block copolymers of L ‐lactide (LA) and polydiols such as poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(trimethylene ether glycol), were prepared via ring opening polymerization. Glass transition temperatures (T_g) of the obtained PEUs were found strongly dependent on properties of copolymer soft segments. By simply changing composition ratio, type and molecular weight of polydiols in the soft segment preparation step, T_g of PEU can be varied in the broad range of 0–57°C. The synthesized PEUs exhibited shape memory behavior at their transition temperatures. PEUs with hard segment ratio higher than 65 mole percent showed good shape recovery. These findings suggested that it is important to manipulate molecular structure of the copolymer soft segment for a desirable transition temperature and design optimal soft to hard segment ratio in PEU for good shape recovery. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis and properties of widely conjugated polyacetylenes having anthryl and phenanthryl pendant groups

The metathesis polymerization of 1- and 2-ethynylanthracenes (1-EA and 2-EA) and 2- and 3-ethynylphenanthrenes (2-EP and 3-EP) in the presence of various WCl₆-based catalysts produced widely conjugated soluble polymers with relatively high molecular weights. The highest weight-average molecular weights of poly(1-EA) and poly(2-EA) reached 61,000 and 26,000, respectively, when Ph₄Sn was used as cocatalyst, while those of poly(2-EP) and poly(3-EP) reached 23,000 and 65,000, respectively, with Ph₃Bi as cocatalyst. In contrast, MoCl₅-based catalysts were hardly or not effective for these monomers. A large red-shifted peak was observed centering at 570 nm (the cutoff at 750 nm) in the absorption spectrum of poly(1-EA), while the red-shifted peaks were seen around 500 nm (the cutoffs near 700 nm) in the spectra of other polymers, indicating wide conjugations of the polymer chains. The configurational structures of all the polymers confirmed by DSC and ¹H-NMR were trans structures. However, poly(1-EA) and poly(3-EP) appeared to consist partly of cis structures in their main chains. All of the present polymers showed relatively high thermal stability in air compared with poly(phenylacetylene). © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 3131–3137, 1998     

Synthesis and characterization of new poly(N-1-adamantylmaleimide) and poly(N-1-diamantylmaleimide)

N-l-Diamantylmaleimide was synthesized by reaction of maleic anhydride with 1-aminodiamantane, followed by dehydration with acetic anhydride and sodium acetate. Poly(N-1-adamantylmaleimide) ( IIa ) and poly(N-l-diamantylmaleimide) ( IIb ) were polymerized using 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as an initiator under different experimental conditions such as various initiator concentrations, solvents, polymerization temperatures, and polymerization times. Polymerizations of N-l-adamantylmaleimide in benzene at 60°C or in bulk gave polymers with molecular weights (2000–9500). The experimental results indicated that the propagation may be interrupted by steric hindrance of bulky and rigid substituents such as the adamantyl or diamantyl groups. In addition, the effect of chain transfer to monomer contributes to the relatively low activation energy. The glass transition temperatures of Ia and Ib were 204 and 216°C, respectively. The temperatures at 5% weight loss of the polymers IIa and IIb were above 412°C. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Cationic Ring-Opening Polymerization of 1,3-Dehydroadamantanes

Ring-opening polymerizations of [3.3.1]propellane derivatives, 1,3-dehydroadamantane ( 1 ) and 5-butyl-1,3-dehydroadamantane ( 2 ), were carried out with CF₃SO₃H in CH₂Cl₂ at 0 °C for 6–42 h. The central σ-bonds in 1 and 2 were exclusively opened to afford novel poly([3.3.1]propellane)s, poly(1,3-adamantane)s, in 52–95% yields. The resulting poly( 2 ) possessing flexible butyl substituent was soluble in chloroform, THF, and 1,2-dichlorobenzene, and the degree of polymerization was estimated to be greater than 30, while the poly( 1 ) was hardly soluble in the common organic solvents. All aliphatic poly( 1 ) and poly( 2 ) showed high thermal stability, their 10% weight loss temperatures were 421 and 486 °C, respectively.