Polymerization of α-Methylstyrene in Tetrahydrofuran with Potassium as Initiator. II. Gel-Permeation Chromatographic Analyses of Polymers

Polymerization of α-methylstyrene initiated with potassium and potassium naphthalene in tetrahydrofuran as solvent has been carried out in the temperature range of -78 to 55°C. The type of propagation-whether reversible or irreversible-has been verified in these polymerizations at -78, -25, -5, and 25°C by comparing the gel-permeation chromatographic molecular weight distributions of polymers before and after depropagation. It has been postulated that in the polymerization of a-methylstyrene at 25°C with potassium alone as initiator, the propagation attributed to contact ion-pair mechanism is irreversible in nature. Contribution towards propagation at -25°C where solvent-separated ion-pairs are known to be active has been shown to be completely reversible. It has also been shown that at -78°C, where free ions are most reactive, the propagation may also be irreversible. In the presence of naphthalene in reactions at 25°C, the extent of reversibility has been shown to increase. This has been attributed to the tendency of naphthalene to form coordinate complexes with potassium, which are quite capable of propagating the polymerization reaction thus leaving lesser monomer for the contact ion-pair propagation which is irreversible.     

Polymerization of α-Methylstyrene in Cyclohexane with Potassium as Initiator. IV. Thermodynamic Study and Gel-Permeation Chromatographic Analyses of the Polymers

Polymerization of α-methylstyrene in cyclohexane containing traces of tetrahydrofuran (THF) has been carried out at 40°C with potassium as initiator. The conversion of monomer to polymer was very slow, and a solution with [M]₀ of 5.15 mole/ liter, carrying 0.110 mole/liter of the living ends [LE], required two months to reach a stationary state. The gel-permeation chromatographic (GPC) analyses of these polymers showed them to have multimodal distributions which could be split into components D+A, B, and C similar to those found for poly-α-methylstyrene prepared in THF and α-dioxane as solvents. Furthermore, under identical conditions of [M]₀ and [LE], the GPC distributions of poly-α-methylstyrene prepared in cyclohexane, p-dioxane, and THF were the same, in spite of their different dielectric constants. Under identical conditions of [M]₀ but with different [LE], the effect of excessive [LE] on the GPC distributions of the polymers prepared in cyclohexane was not limited to the component D+A as was the case when THF or p-dioxane were the solvents, but also on the component C which increased its contribution [P]_e to the polymer.     

Polymerization of α-Methylstyrene at High Temperatures in Tetrahydrof uran with Potassium as Initiator. I. Thermodynamic Study and Gel-Permeation Chromatographic Analyses of the Polymers

The acetals of aryl aldehydes react with aryl amines to produce Schiff bases in quantitative yields. This reaction was also facile with diamines and diacetals. It involves a two-step elimination of alcohol; kinetic data indicate that k ₂ is equal to or greater than k ₁ and this complicates the isolation of any intermediate compound.

Because of overlap of absorption bands, the existence of intermediates was not confirmed by infrared spectral measurements. Adducts of the acetals and the aniline hydrochlorides were isolated as hydrochlorides; their molecular weights, as well as the products obtained by neutralization, indicated that the intermediate is not a monoalkoxy compound. The acetals react, also, with N-acyl aniline by the elimination k ₁ of the alcohol and k ₂ of the ester, in which k ₁ k ₂, to produce Schiff bases in less than quantitative yields. These reactions of acetals with amines and their N-acyl derivatives are of interest in the syntheses of polymers.     

Polymerization of α-Methylstyrene with Potassium as Initiator. VII. Thermal Decomposition of the Reaction Products

The polymerization of α-methylstyrene, initiated with high concentrations of potassium in tetrahydrofuran and in p-dioxane or with a butyllithium-tetramethylethylenediamine complex in bulk, was carried out at temperatures above 25°C. The resulting products comprising varying proportions of both low (D + A of [Mbar]w = 2.0 to 4.0 × 10³) and high (B + C of [Mbar]W > 20.0 × 10³) molecular weight components were subjected to 50 min isothermal treatments at different temperatures. The poly-α-methylstyrene samples, prepared under the above mentioned solvent-conditions, which had similar proportions of components D + A and B + C, as characterized by gel permeation chromatography and nuclear magnetic resonance showed that their thermal stability decreased with the following order of solvent-conditions: Bulk > p-dioxane > THF. A comparison of the decomposition results obtained with polymers made up of components D + A and B + C and those made up exclusively of component B + C showed that the percent weight-loss and the decrease in molecular weight associated with the latter component B + C is more pronounced when the low molecular weight component D + A is present.     

Polymer-Supported Lewis Acid Catalysts. II. Cationic Polymerization of α-Methylstyrene with Polystyrene-Gallium Trichloride Complex as Initiator

The polymerization of α-methylstyrene catalyzed by a polymer-supported Lewis acid catalyst, polystyrene-gallium trichloride complex, is described. The kinetic equation of the cationic polymerization is R_p = k˙C_ms˙C_cat , and the apparent activation energy is 20.9 kJ/mol. The effect of different solvents on the polymerization rate is quite pronounced; for example, the polymerization rate decreased in the following order in the three solvents: CH₂ ClCH₂ Cl < CH₂ Cl₂ < CCl₄. High molecular weight poly(α-methylstyrene) (T_g = 185°C) could be obtained at room temperature. The mechanism of the polymerization is also discussed.     

Anionic Polymerization of α-Methylstyrene. IX. Nature of the Propagating Species

Abstract

The nature of the initiating and propagating species involved in the anionic polymerization of α-methylstyrene has been explored. The earlier hypothesis that multimodal GPC molecular weight distributions in polymers arise solely out of different reaction steps or different ion-pair mechanisms being involved has been modified for poly-α-methylstyrene. Multimodal GPC molecular weight distributions in poly-α-methylstyrene initiated with potassium at 25°C and polymerized at 25°C or higher in THF, p-dioxane, or cyclohexane as solvents have been ascribed to the presence of two different types of tetramers which grow simultaneously but at different rates, each responding to its own well-defined thermodynamic equilibrium and yielding dormant and living polymers. Reaction schemes describing the initiation (at 25°C) and propagation reactions (between -25 and 60°C) in the polymerization (in solution of THF as well as in bulk) of α-methylstyrene initiated with potassium-naphthalene, butyl-lithium, and butyllithium-tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA) have been presented. The role of coordinating agents naphthalene and TMEDA in changing irreversible propagations into reversible ones has been emphasized.     

Living Cationic Polymerization of α-Methylstyrene. 2. Synthesis of Block and Random Copolymers with 2-Chloroethyl Vinyl Ether and End-Functionauzed Polymers†

Abstract

Both AB and BA block copolymers of α-methylstyrene (αMeSt) and 2-chloroethyl vinyl ether (CEVE) were synthesized by the sequential living cationic polymerization initiated with the HCl-CEVE adduct (1a)/SnBr₄ system in CH₂Cl₂ at -78°C. αMeSt-CEVE (AB) block copolymers with narrow molecular weight distributions ([Mbar]_w/[Mbar]_n ～ 1.15) were obtained when αMeSt was polymerized first, followed by addition of CEVE to the resulting αMeSt living polymer solution. The reverse order of monomer addition, from CEVE to αMeSt, also led to a BA-type block copolymer. In the polymerization of a mixture of the two monomers, almost random copolymers were obtained. Living polymerizations of αMeSt were also induced with functional initiating systems, HCl-functionalized vinyl ether adducts (1b-1d)/SnBr₄, to give end-function-alized poly(αMeSt)s with a methacrylate, an acetate, or a phthalimide terminal.     

Donor-Acceptor Complexes in Copolymerization. XVI. NMR Analyses of Alternating and Random Copolymers of Styrene and α-Methylstyrene with Acrylonitrile and Methacrylonitrile

An NMR investigation was carried out on random and alternating copolymers of acrylonitrile (AN) with a-methylstyrene (MS) and methacrylonitrile (MAN) with α-methylstyrene and styrene (S). The alternating MS-AN copolymer, prepared by complexation with AlEti_1-5Cl_1-5, was found to have a predominantly coisotactic configuration which was attributed to the interaction between the CH₃ and CN groups. The cotacticity of the alternating copolymer was found to be independent of the temperature of polymerization and the amount of AlEt_1-5Cl_1-5 used for complexation. The NMR spectra of random MS-AN copolymers of varying compositions indicated a high value (0.85) for the coisotacticity probability parameter (σ). The equimolar random MS-AN copolymer was also found to have essentially alternating sequences which was attributed to their low reactivity ratios. The equimolar alternating MS-MAN copolymer was found to have a random stereochemical configuration in which the coisotactic placement was slightly preferrred over the cosyndiotactic placement. The NMR spectrum of the equimolar free radical initiated MS-MAN copolymer lacked the fine structure observed in the spectrum of the alternating copolymer which was attributed to the presence of other sequences. The equimolar alternating S-MAN copolymer was found to have a high coisotactic configuration similar to that observed in the MS-AN copolymer. The equimolar free radical initiated S-MAN copolymer had a random sequence distribution.     

Anionic Polymerization of New Dual-Functionalized Styrene and α-Methylstyrene Derivatives Having Styrene or α-Methylstyrene Moieties

Anionic polymerizations of four new dual-functionalized styrene and α-methylstyrene derivatives, 3-(4-(4-isopropenylphenoxy)butyl)styrene ( 4 ), 3-(4-(2-isopropenylphenoxy)butyl)-α-methylstyrene ( 5 ), 4-(4-(4-isopropenylphenoxy)butyl)-α-methylstyrene ( 6 ), and 4-(4-(2-vinylphenoxy)butyl)styrene ( 7 ), were carried out in THF at -78 °C with sec-BuLi as an initiator. Both 4 and 5 underwent anionic polymerization in a living manner to quantitatively afford functionalized polystyrenes and poly(α-methylstyrene)s having α-methylstyrene moiety in each monomer unit and precisely controlled chain lengths. On the other hand, insoluble polymers were obtained by the anionic polymerization of 6 and 7 under the same conditions. The positional effect of substituent on anionic polymerization was discussed.     

Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate with α,α-Dichlorotoluene or α,α,α-Trichlorotoluene as Initiator

lnAtomTransferRadicalPolymerization(ATRP),whichisanew"living"/contr0lledradicalp0lymerizati0ntechniquedevel0pedindependentlybyMatyjaszewskieIallandSawam0t0eIaP,anyalkyIhalidewithactivatedsubstituents0na-carbonsuchasaryl,carb0nyl0rallylcanbeusedasinitiatoe.Benzy1haIideandpolymerswithbenzylhalideendgr0upwerereportedtobeefficientinitiator0rmacroinitiatorfortheATRPofstyrene".H0wever,whenbenzylhalidewasusedt0initiateMMAp0Iymerization,itwasfoundthattheinitiationefficiencywasveryIowinourlabo…     

Quasiliving Carbocationic Polymerization. II. The Discovery: The α-Methylstyrene System

A detailed analysis of elementary reactions of carbocationic polymerization culminated in the prediction and subsequent experimental demonstration of quasiliving polymerization. Quasiliving polymers are formed in a system provided that the process of chain termination and chain transfer to monomer are absent or reversible, i.e., the propagating ability of the chain end is maintained throughout the experiment, and the molecular weight increases in proportion to the cumulative amount of monomer added. The chain end can be active (carbocation) or dormant (reactivable polymeric olefin or cation source). Chain transfer is suppressed by keeping the monomer concentration low. Quasiliving polymerizations are maintained by continuous slow feeding of dilute monomer to a charge containing the initiating or propagating species (quasiliving polymerization technique). A comprehensive kinetic scheme has been developed that describes quasiliving polymerization in quantitative terms. Quasiliving polymerization was demonstrated experimentally in the “H₂O”/BCl₃/α-methylstyrene and cumyl chloride/BCl₃/α-methylstyrene systems. M _n versus monomer input plots are linear over wide ranges, indicating quasiliving conditions, and poly(α-methylstyrenes) with M _n > 2 × 10⁵ have been obtained, Molecular weight distributions were found progressively to narrow and dispersion ratios M _w/M _n to decrease.     

Quasiliving Carbocationic Polymerization. VII. Block Polymerization of α-Methylstyrene from Quasiliving Poly(isobutyl Vinyl Ether) Dication

Poly(α-methylstyrene-b-isobutyl vinyl ether-b-α-methylstyrene) triblock polymers have been prepared by blocking α-methyl-styrene (αMeSt) from biheaded quasiliving poly(isobuty1 vinyl ether) (PIBVE) cations generated with the bifunctional p-dicumyl chloride/AgSbF₆ initiating system in methylene chloride solvent at -90°C. The products were fractionated with 2-propanol, a good solvent for PIBVE and a nonsolvent for PaMeSt. The 2-propanol-insoluble fractions had much higher molecular weights (M _n = 30,500–69,100) than the starting PIBVE (M _n =6,600–10,600) and contained 13–29 wt% IBVE together with 87–71 wt% αMeSt units. The 2-propanol-soluble fractions (M _n = 7,300–11,600) contained ～90 wt% IBVE and ～10 wt% αMeSt units.     

Cationic Copolymerization with Depropagation. The Copolymerization of α-Methylstyrene and Styrene

ABSTRACT

To evaluate the existence of the depropagation reaction in the copolymerization of vinyl monomers, the cationic copolymerization of α-methylstyrene with styrene was studied. The copolymer composition exhibited an extensive dependency on the temperature of polymerization and the monomer concentration, this fact not being explained by the Mayo-Lewis equation. Treatment of the copolymerization in terms of the depropagation reaction led to an estimate of the monomer reactivity ratio and the equilibrium constant between the polymer and the monomer of α-methylstyrene. A comparison of the equilibrium constants thus obtained with those reported in the literature indicates that the magnitude of the equilibrium constants depends on the sequence length of α-methylstyrene units. By extrapolation to long sequence length, the equilibrium constants approach the values which are reported for high molecular weight poly(α-methylstyrene).     

Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate with α,α,α′,α′‐Tetrachloroxylene as an Initiator

The homogeneous ATRP of methyl methacrylate (MMA) using α,α,α′,α′‐tetrachloroxylene (TCX)/CuCl/N,N,N′,N″,N″–pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (PMDETA) as the initiating system has been successfully carried out. The kinetic plots showed first order relationship vs. monomer concentration. Well‐controlled polymerizations with low polydispersities (M_w/M_n=1.15?1.25) polymers have been achieved. The molecular weights increased linearly with monomer conversions and were close to the theoretical values, indicating high initiation efficiency. The polymerization rate increased significantly with an increase of TCX concentration. The rate of polymerization was about 0.6 orders with respect to the concentration of initiator. The polymerization rate increased significantly with an increase of CuCl concentration. The dependence of ln k_p ^app on ln ([CuCl]₀) indicated a 0.91 order. The apparent activation energy was calculated ΔE_app ^≠=43.3 KJ/mol, and the enthalpy of the equilibrium, ΔH_eq ⁰, was estimated to be 21.1 KJ/mol. The structure of obtained PMMA was analyzed by means of ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The result proved that the TCX acted as a bifunctional initiator for ATRP of MMA.     

Nitroxide‐mediated Living Radical Polymerization of Styrene with Fluorescent Initiator

A fluorescence method was used for determination of marked chain ends in polystyrene samples prepared by 4‐substituted TEMPO type nitroxide‐mediated living free radical polymerization of styrene. 2,2,6,6‐Tetramethyl‐1‐(1‐phenylethoxy)‐piperidin‐4‐yl‐4‐pyren‐1‐ylbutanoate (PYNOR) was prepared and used as an unimolecular initiator bearing pyrene as a fluorescence mark on mediating nitroxide fragment. The bulk polymerization of styrene at 120°C, in the presence of new unimolecular initiator, was a typical nitroxide mediated living radical polymerization. For comparison, two different molar ratios of initiator and monomer (1∶400 and 1∶1000 initiator ‐ monomer [I:M]) were used for polymerization. When I:M=1∶400, the obtained polydispersity was 1.12 and maximum molecular weight 27,000 g/mol was obtained at 62% conversion. For ratio 1∶1000, slightly higher polydispersity was obtained ?1.26 and the molecular weight was 53,000 g/mol at 70% conversion. The content of the polystyrene chains bearing mediating nitroxide fragment was determined by fluorescence spectroscopy. The intensity of pyrene fluorescence decreased as the molar mass, and the conversion increased as well. The extent of the incorporation of chromophore at propagating chain end or “livingness” of polymerization decreased despite the fact that the polydispersity did not change. The extent of side reaction leading to broadening of polydispersity is suppressed due to the high viscosity of the system at higher conversion. A low extent of “livingness” will have a very negative effect on possible preparation of block copolymers.     

Carbocationic Polymerization in the Presence of Sterically Hindered Bases. V. The Polymerization of α-Methylstyrene by the “H2O”7BCI3 Initiating System

The influence of 2,6-di-tert-butylpyridine (DtBP) on the polymerization of α-methylstyrene (αMeSt) induced by the “H₂O”/BC1₃ initiating system in the -20 to ?60°C range has been studied in detail. Adventitious H₂O (“H₂O”) is the initiating cationogen and initiation most likely proceeds by a concerted route in the absence of free protons or the acid H^⊕BC1₃ OH^⊕ Polymerizations are extremely rapid and kinetic termination is absent (conversions are 100%) in the absence of DtBP. In the presence of DtBP, polymerizations are still very fast; however, conversions are reduced. Significantly, conversions increase with decreasing temperatures, which suggests the operational presence of terminative proton entrapment. Molecular weights increase with decreasing temperatures in the presence and absence of DtBP and the slopes of the linear Arrhenius plots (In [Mbar]_w versus 1/T) are parallel; the molecular weights obtained in the presence of DtBP are close to a factor of 10 higher than those produced in the absence of this hindered pyridine. The virtual identity of the slopes of Arrhenius plots indicates close similarity between the nature and rate of molecular-weight-determining events in the absence and presence of DtBP, i.e., k_p/k_tr,m and k_p/k_tr,G^⊕ DtBP profoundly affects molecular weight dispersity: [Mbar]_w/[Mbar]_n = 3.0–4.0 in the absence of DtBP whereas [Mbar]_w/[Mbar]_n = 1.5 -1.8 in the presence of DtBP. The number w of polymer molecules formed (yield/[Mbar]_n) in the absence of DtBP whereas [Mbar]_w/[Mbar]_n = 1.5–1.8 in presence of DtBP. The number of polymer molecules formed (yield/[Mbar]_n) = 1.5–1.8 in the presence of DtBp. The number of polymer molecules formed (yield/[Mbar]_n) in the absence of DtBP decreases with decreasing temperature while those formed in the presence of DtBP remain constant. According to Mayo, (1/[Mbar]_n versus 1/ [M] plots chain transfer to monomer in the peresence of DtBP is vey low (k_tr,m /k_p = 6.4 × 10^?4 and 2.8 × 10^?4 at ?30 and ?50°C) but not zero. Conceivably two kinds of chain transfer to monomer reactions may exist (direct and indirect) and only one (i.e., the indirect one) may be trappable by DtBP. The effect of [DtBP] on the percent converstion and [Mbar]_n was investigated: Above a fairly well defined [DtBP], neither conversions nor [Mbar]_n's were affected by [DtBP]. With increasing [DtBP] molecular weight dispersions rapidly decrease and [Mbar]_w [Mbar]_n's seem to level off at ～ 1.5 at relatively high [DtBP]. Changing the polarity of the solvent characteristically affects the mechanism of α MeSt polmerzation in the presence and absence of DtBP results in a strong increase in [Mbar]_w/[Mbar]_n (from ～ 1.5 to ～ 4.0), in the presence of DtBP [Mbar]_w/[Mbar]_n remains virtually unchanged at ～1.5.     

Elementary Reactions of Metal Alkyl in Anionic Polymerization. III. Reaction Mode of n-Butylmagnesium Bromide with α,β-Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds∗

Reaction modes of n-butylmagnesium bromide with α,β-unsaturated esters, ketones, and nitriles were investigated in ether under anionic polymerization conditions. n-Butane and conjugate addition products observed were with all the monomers examined, but carbonyl addition products were not detected except with the unsaturated esters. Product distribution depends mainly upon reaction temperature and the concentration of the Grignard reagent, not upon the concentration of the unsaturated compounds. n-Butyl-magnesium bromide etherate in toluene gave similar results.     

Donor-Acceptor Complexes in Copolymerization. XLIV. Copolymerization of Styrene and α-Methylstyrene with Acrylic and α-Substituted Acrylic Esters in the Presence of Aluminum Compounds

Abstract

The copolymerization of styrene (S) with methyl acrylate (MA) and with methyl methacrylate (MMA) in the presence of AlEt₃ yields equimolar, alternating copolymers while no polymer is formed in α-methylstyrene (MS)-MA and MS-MMA systems. In the presence of AlEt_1.5Cl_l,5 (EASC), S-MA and S-MMA yield alternating copolymers, S-methyl a-chloroacrylate (MCA), MS-MA and MS-MMA yield a mixture of alternating and cationic polymers, and MS-MCA yields cationic polymer only. In the presence of A1C1₃, S-MA and MS-MA yield a mixture of alternating and cationic polymers and S-MMA and MS-MMA yield cationic polymer only. The cotacticity distributions of the alternating S-MA and S-MMA copolymers prepared in the presence of AlEt₃, EASC, and A1C1, are the same; the coisotactic, co-heterotactic, and cosyndiotactic fractions being approximately in the ratio 1:2:1. The cosyndiotactic fractions of the alter-nating copolymers prepared in the presence of EASC are in the order MS-MMA > MS-MA > S-MCA > S-MMA=S-MA.     

Kinetic Study of Cationic Polymerization of α-Methylstyrene Initiated by BuOTICl3 In Dlchloromethane Solution

The cationic polymerization of α-methylstyrene Initiated by n-BuOTiCl₃ has been studied at -70° C in dlchloromethane solution by using a calorlmetric technique. Polymerizations were performed under high vacuum either in dry conditions for which low monomer conversions were observed (4-12%), or In the presence of added cocatalyst (H₂O or HCl). In these last cases, yields were quantitative, and it was shown that polymerization rate was proportional to added water concentration and first order with respect to catalyst and to monomer. A kinetic scheme is proposed, based on a monomer-Independent initiation step and on a unimolecular termination process. At -70° C, the initiation rate is higher than termination rate during the whole course of the polymerization, and the concentration of active centers increases continuously. The following rate constants were found at -70°C: k_i. = 17 ± 6, k = 2.2 ± 1.1 ± 10⁴,k_trm = 30 ± 15 liter/mole-Sec, and k_t =0 54 ± 0 05 sec^?1. At -50 and -30° C, the concentration of active centers goes through a maximum during the polymerization and incomplete monomer conversions were observed, showing that all the catalyst is consumed. The different rate constants were tentatively estimated at these temperatures by using a simulation method, and this led to a negative value of ca. -7 kcal/mole for the apparent activation energy for propagation, and to a value of ～ 5 kcal/ mole for E_i. The observation of a negative (E_p)_app might be explained either by a shift of the dissociation equilibrium of the growing ends or by a solvation process of these growing ends by monomer prior to the propagation step.     

Free-Radical-Initiated Polymerization of N(p-Phenoxy-phenyl)maleimide and Copolymerization with Styrene, α-Methylstyrene and β–Methylstyrene

Abstract

Synthesis and free-radical-initiated homopolymerization of phenoxy-phenylmaleimide (PhOPhMI) and copolymerization with styrene (St), (α-methylstyrene (αMeSt) and β–methylstyrene (β-MeSt) are described. It was found that alternating copolymers are formed under different monomer-to-monomer ratios in the feed and that the mechanism based on the participation of CT-complex best explains the formation of alternating copolymers. Equilibrium constants of CT-complexes are: K _PhOPhMI/St = 0.20 Lmol^?1; K_{PhOPhMI/αMeSt} = 0.05 Lmol^?1; K_{PhOPhMI/βMeSt} = 0.02 Lmol^?1. Homopolymer and co-polymers are film-forming materials, stable up to 350°C under TGA conditions. T_g s and higher transition temperatures are within the thermally stable region.