Similarities and differences of epoxide, aldehyde and peroxide initiators for Cp2TiCl-catalyzed styrene living radical polymerizations

Cp₂TiCl is the first example of a single electron transfer (SET) agent that both provides initiating radicals from three different types of functionalities (i.e. radical ring opening of epoxides and reduction of aldehydes and peroxides) and doubles as mediator for the living radical polymerization of styrene (St) by reversibly endcapping the growing polymer chains. An initiator (I) comparison was performed using 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether (BDE), benzaldehyde (BA) and benzoyl peroxide (BPO) as models. The investigation of the effect of reaction variables was carried out over a wide range of experimental conditions ([Cp₂TiCl₂]/[I] = 0.5/1-4/1; [Zn]/[Cp₂TiCl₂] = 0.5/1-3/1, [St]/[I] = 50/1-400/1 and T = 60-130 °C) to reveal living polymerization features such as a linear dependence of molecular weight on conversion and narrow molecular weight distribution (M_w/M_n) for each initiator class. However, progressively lower polydispersities and larger initiator efficiencies are obtained with increasing the [Cp₂TiCl₂]/[I] and [Zn]/[Cp₂TiCl₂] ratios and with decreasing temperature. Accordingly, optimum conditions correspond to [St]/[I]/[Cp₂TiCl₂]/[Zn] = [50-200]/[1]/[2-3]/[4-6] at 70-90 °C. By contrast to peroxides, aldehydes and the more reactive epoxides provide alcohol end groups useful in block or graft copolymers synthesis.     

Cp2TiCl-catalyzed radical chemistry: living styrene polymerizations from epoxides, aldehydes, halides, and peroxides

Four different Cp₂TiCl-activated radical sources (1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether, benzaldehyde, (1-bromoethyl)benzene, and benzoyl peroxide) were investigated as initiators in the Cp₂TiCl-catalyzed living radical polymerization of styrene (St). The effect of reaction variables was investigated over a wide range of values ([St]/[I]=50/1-400/1, [I]/[Cp₂TiCl₂]=1/0.5-1/4, [Cp₂TiCl₂]/[Zn]=1/0.5-1/3 and T=40-130 °C). A linear dependence of molecular weight on conversion was observed for each initiator, but larger initiator efficiencies and lower polydispersities were obtained upon increasing [Cp₂TiCl₂] and [Zn] and decreasing temperature. The optimum conditions are initiator dependent but broadly correspond to [St]/[I]/[Cp₂TiCl₂]/[Zn]=[50-200]/[1]/[2-3]/[4-6] at 70-90 °C. The most robust initiators are aldehydes followed by peroxides, epoxides, and finally halides.     

Atom transfer radical polymerization of sodium2‐acrylamido‐2‐methylpropanesulfonate

The first example of well‐controlled atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of a permanently charged anionic acrylamide monomer is reported. ATRP of sodium 2‐acrylamido‐2‐methylpropanesulfonate (NaAMPS) was achieved with ethyl 2‐chloropropionate (ECP) as an initiator and the CuCl/CuCl₂/tris(2‐dimethylaminoethyl)amine (Me₆TREN) catalytic system. The polymerizations were carried out in 50:50 (v/v) N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF)/water mixtures at 20 °C. Linear first‐order kinetic plots up to a 92% conversion for a target degree of polymerization of 50 were obtained with [ECP]/[CuCl]/[CuCl₂]/[Me₆TREN] = 1:1:1:2 and [AMPS] = 1 M. The molecular weight increased linearly with the conversion in good agreement with the theoretical values, and the polydispersities decreased with increasing conversion, reaching a lower limit of 1.11. The living character of the polymerization was confirmed by chain‐extension experiments. Block copolymers with N,N‐dimethylacrylamide and N‐isopropylacrylamide were also prepared. The use of a DMF/water mixed solvent should make possible the synthesis of new amphiphilic ionic block copolymers without the use of protecting group chemistry. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 4446–4454, 2005     

Ring‐opening polymerization of 1‐methyltrimethylene carbonate by rare earth initiators

Ring‐opening polymerization of 1‐methyltrimethylene carbonate (MTMC) initiated by highly active single‐component rare earth tris(2,6‐di‐tert‐butyl‐4‐methylphenolate)s [Ln(OAr)₃, Ln = La, Dy, Y] or yttrium isopropoxide [Y(OiPr)₃] is reported for the first time. PolyMTMC (M_w = 8.4 × 10⁴, molecular weight distributions = 1.5) initiated by La(OAr)₃ at [MTMC]/[initiator] = 1000 was obtained with the yield over 99% in toluene within 1 h at 30 °C. Random and block copolymers of MTMC with ε‐caprolactone (CL), 2,2‐dimethyltrimethylene carbonate (DTC) or polyethylene glycol (PEG) including poly(MTMC‐r‐CL), poly(MTMC‐b‐CL), poly(MTMC‐r‐DTC), poly(MTMC‐b‐DTC), and poly(MTMC‐b‐PEG‐b‐MTMC) were synthesized. The differential scanning calorimetry results show that thermal behaviors of the polymers sensitively depend on their compositions and chain structures. Furthermore, the measurements of ¹H‐¹H COSY and density functional theory calculation are applied to investigate the mechanism. The polymerization of MTMC takes place according to a coordination‐insertion mechanism, and the ring is opened via acyl‐oxygen bond cleavage resulting in a Ln? O active center. There exist two ring‐opening modes of MTMC in which mode b , breaking the CH₂O? CO bond, is the major pathway. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 3807–3815, 2010     

Homopolymerization of cyclic esters initiated by lanthanide isopropoxides supported by 2,2′‐ethylene‐bis(4,6‐di‐tert‐butylphenolate) ligands

Lanthanide isopropoxides supported by carbon‐bridged bisphenolate ligands of 2,2′‐ethylene‐bis(4,6‐di‐tert‐butylphenoxo) {[(EDBP)Ln(μ‐OPrⁱ)(THF)₂]₂, where Ln is Nd ( 1 ), Sm ( 2 ), or Yb ( 3 ) and THF is tetrahydrofuran} were synthesized by protic exchange reactions in high yields with Cp₃Ln compounds as raw materials, and complex 1 was structurally characterized. Complexes 1 – 3 were shown to be efficient initiators for the ring‐opening polymerization of ε‐caprolactone (ε‐CL) and 2,2‐dimethyltrimethylene carbonate (DTC). Complexes 1 – 3 could initiate the controlled polymerization of ε‐CL, and the polymerization rate was first‐order with respect to the monomer. The influence of the reaction conditions on the monomer conversion, molecular weight, and molecular weight distribution of the resultant polymers was investigated. End‐group analyses of the oligomers of ε‐CL and DTC showed that the polymerization underwent a coordination–insertion mechanism. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 4409–4419, 2006     

Efficient catalysts for ring‐opening polymerization of ε‐caprolactone and β‐butyrolactone: Synthesis and characterization of zinc complexes based on benzotriazole phenoxide ligands

A series of efficient zinc catalysts supported by sterically bulky benzotriazole phenoxide ( BTP ) ligands are synthesized and structurally characterized. The reactions of diethyl zinc (ZnEt₂) with ^CMe2PhBTP ‐H, ^t‐BuBTP ‐H, and ^TMClBTP ‐H yield monoadduct [(μ‐ BTP )ZnEt]₂ ( 1 – 3 ), respectively. Bisadduct complex [( ^t‐BuBTP )₂Zn] ( 4 ) results from treatment of ZnEt₂ with ^t‐BuBTP ‐H (2 equiv.) in toluene, but treatment of ^TMClBTP ‐H with ZnEt₂ in the same stoichiometric proportion in Et₂O produces five‐coordinated monomeric complex [( ^TMClBTP )₂Zn(Et₂O)] ( 5 ). The molecular structures of compounds 1 , 4 , and 5 are characterized by X‐ray crystal structure determinations. All complexes 1 – 5 are efficient catalysts for the ring‐opening polymerization of ε‐caprolactone (ε‐CL) in the presence of 9‐anthracenemethanol. Experimental results indicate that complex 3 exhibits the greatest activity with well‐controlled character among these complexes. The polymerizations of ε‐CL and β‐butyrolactone catalyzed by 3 are demonstrated in a “living” character with narrow polydispersity indices (monomer‐to‐initiator ratio in the range of 25–200, PDIs ≤ 1.10). The “immortal” character of 3 provides a way to synthesize as much as 16‐fold polymer chains of poly(ε‐CL) (PCL) with narrow PDI in the presence of a catalyst in a small proportion. The controlled fashion of complex 3 also enabled preparation of the PCL‐b‐poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) copolymer. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Tridentate anilido‐aldimine magnesium and zinc complexes as efficient catalysts for ring‐opening polymerization of ε‐caprolactone and L‐lactide

A novel tridentate anilido‐aldimine ligand, [o‐C₆H₄(NHAr)? HC?NCH₂CH₂NMe₂] (Ar = 2,6‐ⁱPr₂C₆H₃, L ‐H, 1 ), has been prepared by the condensation of N, N‐dimethylethylenediamine with one molar equivalent of 2‐fluoro‐benzaldehyde in hexane, followed by the addition of the lithium salt of diisopropylaniline in THF. Magnesium (Mg) and zinc (Zn) complexes supported by the tridentate anilido‐aldimine ligand have been synthesized and structurally characterized. Reaction of L ‐H ( 1 ) with an equivalent amount of MgⁿBu₂ or ZnEt₂ produces the monomeric complex [ L MgⁿBu] ( 2 ) or [ L ZnEt] ( 3 ), respectively. Experimental results show that complexes 2 and 3 are efficient catalysts for ring‐opening polymerization of ε‐caprolactone (CL) and L ‐lactide (LA) in the presence of benzyl alcohol and catalyze the polymerization of ε‐CL and L ‐LA in a controlled fashion yielding polymers with a narrow polydispersity index. In both polymerizations, the activity of Mg complex 2 is higher than that of Zn complex 3 , which is probably due to the higher Lewis acidity and better oxophilic nature of Mg²⁺ metal. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 4927–4936, 2009     

Cp2TiCl‐catalyzed living radical polymerization of styrene initiated from peroxides

The effects of the reaction conditions and nature of the initiator were investigated in the Cp₂Ti(III)Cl‐catalyzed living radical polymerization of styrene initiated by benzoyl peroxide (BPO), tert‐butyl peroxide (TBPO), tert‐butyl peroxybenzoate (TBPOB), dicumyl peroxide (CPO), and tert‐butylperoxy 2‐ethylhexyl carbonate (TBPOEHC). The reversible termination of the growing chains with Cp₂Ti(III)Cl affords a linear dependence of molecular weight on conversion over a wide range of temperatures (60–120 °C) with an optimum in polydispersity (M_w/M_n < 1.2) for St/BPO/Cp₂TiCl₂/Zn = 100/1/3/6 at 60–90 °C. The similarity of the kinetic parameters from polymerizations initiated by peroxides with vastly different half‐life times (t = 1 h, t = 543 h) and the minimum peroxide/Ti = 1/2 ratio required for a living process indicate that initiation occurs primarily by the redox reaction of the peroxide with Cp₂Ti(III)Cl rather than peroxide thermal decomposition. This is consistent with one Ti equivalent consumed in the redox initiation and the second one utilized in the reversible termination of the growing chains. Qualitatively, based on the livingness of the process, these initiators ranked as BPO > TBPOB ～ TBPO > CPO > TBPOEHC. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 1106–1116, 2006     

The ligand effect in Ti‐mediated living radical styrene polymerizations initiated by epoxide radical ring opening. 1. Alkoxide and bisketonate Ti complexes

Bisketonate and alkoxide Ti(III) complexes derived from Zn reduction of Ti(IV) precursors were evaluated as catalysts for the living radical polymerization (LRP) of styrene initiated by Ti‐catalyzed epoxide radical ring opening and mediated by reversible termination with Ti(III). No polymerization occurred with tris(2,2,6, 6‐tetramethyl‐3,5‐heptanedionato)titanium (III), whereas dichlorobis(2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl‐3,5‐heptanedionato)titanium (IV) affords only a free radical polymerization. Preliminary living features were displayed by (ⁱPrO)₂TiCl₂. Investigations of the effect of epoxide/Ti/Zn ratios, temperature, and nature of the epoxide demonstrated that (ⁱPrO)₃TiCl provides a linear dependence of M_n on conversion over a wide range of conditions with an optimum for [Sty]/[epoxide group]/[Ti]/[Zn] = 50/1/2/4 at 90 °C. However, the polydispersity could not be reduced below 1.4–1.5, with an initiator efficiency of 0.15. These results were rationalized in terms of a combination of decreased Ti oxophilicity and ligand exchange. The lowered oxophilicity decreases the initiation rate and broadens M_w/M_n. The fast alkoxide exchange promotes a weak dependence of the polymerization on reaction conditions and generates macromolecular Ti species with reduced ability to mediate LRP. Thus, while monofunctional epoxides provide homogeneous polymerizations and narrower M_w/M_n, difunctional initiators may lead to gel formation at high conversion. Nonetheless, all polymerizations were light gray to colorless and afforded white polymer. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 6028–6038, 2005     

Ring‐opening polymerization of β‐butyrolactone catalyzed by efficient magnesium and zinc complexes derived from tridentate anilido‐aldimine ligand

Magnesium (Mg) and zinc (Zn) complexes incorporating tridentate anilido‐aldimine ligand, (E)‐2, 6‐diisopropyl‐N‐(2‐((2‐(piperidin‐1‐yl)ethylimino)methyl)phenyl)aniline ( AA ^Pip ‐H, 1 ), were synthesized and structurally characterized. The reaction of AA ^Pip ‐H ( 1 ) with MgⁿBu₂ or ZnEt₂ in equivalent proportions afforded the monomeric complex [( AA ^Pip )MgⁿBu] ( 2 ) or [( AA ^Pip )ZnEt] ( 3 ), respectively. The coordination modes of these complexes differ in the solid state: Mg complex 2 shows a four‐coordinated and distorted tetrahedral geometry, whereas Zn complex 3 adopts a trigonal planar geometry with a three‐coordinated Zn center. Complexes 2 and 3 are efficient catalysts for the ring‐opening polymerization of β‐butyrolactone (β‐BL) in the presence of 9‐anthracenemethanol (9‐AnOH). The polymerization of β‐BL with the Zn catalyst system is demonstrated in a living fashion with a narrow polydispersity index, PDI = 1.01–1.10. The number‐averaged molecular weight (M_n) of the produced poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) is quite close to the expected M_n over diverse molar ratios of monomer to 9‐AnOH. A greater ratio of monomer to alcohol catalyzed by Zn complex 3 served to form PHB with a large molecular weight (M_n > 60000). An effective method to prepare PHB‐b‐PCL and PEG‐b‐PHB by the ring‐opening copolymerization of β‐BL catalyzed by zinc complex 3 is reported. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010     

The ligand effect in Ti‐mediated living radical styrene polymerizations initiated by epoxide radical ring opening. 2. Scorpionate and half‐sandwich LTiCl3 complexes

The ligand effect and the reaction conditions for the living radical polymerization of styrene initiated by epoxide radical ring opening was investigated in a series of piano‐stool, Ti(IV) scorpionate and, half‐sandwich metallocenes (LTiCl₃; L = Tp, Cp*, Ind and Cp, where Tp = hydrotris(pyrazol‐1‐ylborato), Cp* = pentamethylcyclopentadienyl, Ind = indenyl and Cp = cyclopentadienyl). The polymerization is mediated by the reversible termination of the growing chains with Ti(III) species derived from Zn reduction of parent Ti(IV) derivatives. A poor performance was observed for TpTiCl₃ because of probable over‐reduction. The strong electron donating effect of Cp* accounts for a strong C? Ti chain end bond and consequently, a living‐like process is observed only at T > 110 °C. However, both Ind and Cp ligands provide a linear dependence of M_n on conversion and narrow polydispersity over a wide range of experimental conditions. Investigation of the effect of temperature and reagent ratios generates an optimum for epoxide/CpTiCl₃/Zn = 1/2/4 at 70–90 °C. On the basis of a combination of steric and electronic properties, the ligands rank as Cp ≥ Ind ? Cp* ? Tp. This trend is different from coordination polymerization, and in conjunction with our previous results on Cp₂TiCl₂, further supports a radical mechanism. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 6039–6047, 2005     

Glycoconjugated polymer: Synthesis and characterization of poly(vinyl saccharide)‐block‐polystyrene‐block‐poly(vinyl saccharide) as an amphiphilic ABA triblock copolymer

Styrene (St) was polymerized with α,α′‐bis(2′,2′,6′,6′‐tetramethyl‐1′‐piperidinyloxy)‐1,4‐diethylbenzene ( 1 ) as an initiator (bulk, [St]/] 1 ] = 570) at 120 °C for 5.0 h to obtain polystyrene having 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidiloxy moieties on both sides of the chain ends ( 2 ) with a number‐average molecular weight (M_n) of 14,300 and a polydispersity index [weight‐average molecular weight/number‐average molecular weight (M_w/M_n)] of 1.14. 4‐Vinylbenzyl glucoside peracetate ( 3a ) was polymerized with 2 as a macromolecular initiator and dicumyl peroxide (DCP) as an accelerator in chlorobenzene at 120 °C. The polymerization with the [ 3a ]/[ 2 ]/[DCP] ratio of 30/1/1.2 for 5 h afforded a product in a yield of 73%; it was followed by purification with preparative size exclusion chromatography to provide the ABA triblock copolymer containing the pendant acetyl glucose on both sides of the chain ends ( 4a ; M_n = 21,000, M_w/M_n = 1.16). Similarly, the polymerization of 4‐vinylbenzyl maltohexaoside peracetate produced the ABA triblock copolymer containing the pendant acetyl maltohexaose on both side of the chain end ( 4b ; M_n = 31,800, M_w/M_n = 1.11). Polymers 4a and 4b were modified by deacetylation into amphiphilic ABA triblock copolymers containing the pendant glucose and maltohexaose as hydrophilic segment, 5a and 5b , respectively. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 3978–3985, 2006     

Ethylene/α‐olefin copolymerization with bis(β‐enaminoketonato) titanium complexes activated with modified methylaluminoxane

Copolymerizations of ethylene with α‐olefins (i.e., 1‐hexene, 1‐octene, allylbenzene, and 4‐phenyl‐1‐butene) using the bis(β‐enaminoketonato) titanium complexes [(Ph)NC(R₂)CHC(R₁)O]₂TiCl₂ ( 1a : R₁ = CF₃, R₂ = CH₃; 1b : R₁ = Ph, R₂ = CF₃; and 1c : R₁ = t‐Bu, R₂ = CF₃), activated with modified methylaluminoxane as a cocatalyst, have been investigated. The catalyst activity, comonomer incorporation, and molecular weight, and molecular weight distribution of the polymers produced can be controlled over a wide range by the variation of the catalyst structure, α‐olefin, and reaction parameters such as the comonomer feed concentration. The substituents R₁ and R₂ of the ligands affect considerably both the catalyst activity and comonomer incorporation. Precatalyst 1a exhibits high catalytic activity and produces high‐molecular‐weight copolymers with high α‐olefin insertion. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 6323–6330, 2005     

Kinetics of propylene polymerization initiated by rac‐Me2Si(1‐C5H2‐2‐Me‐4‐tBu)2Zr(NME2)2/MAO catalyst

The kinetics of propylene polymerization initiated by ansa‐metallocene diamide compound rac‐Me₂Si(CMB)₂Zr(NMe₂)₂ (rac‐1, CMB = 1‐C₅H₂‐2‐Me‐4‐^tBu)/methylaluminoxane (MAO) catalyst were investigated. The formation of cationic active species has been studied by the sequential NMR‐scale reactions of rac‐1 with MAO. The rac‐1 is first transformed to rac‐Me₂Si(CMB)₂ZrMe₂ (rac‐2) through the alkylation mainly by free AlMe₃ contained in MAO. The methylzirconium cations are then formed by the reaction of rac‐2 and MAO. Small amount of MAO ([Al]/[Zr] = 40) is enough to completely activate rac‐1 to afford methylzirconium cations that can polymerize propylene. In the lab‐scale polymerizations carried out at 30°C in toluene, the rate of polymerization (R_p) shows maximum at [Al]/[Zr] = 6,250. The R_p increases as the polymerization temperature (T_p) increases in the range of T_p between 10 and 70°C and as the catalyst concentration increases in the range between 21.9 and 109.6 μM. The activation energies evaluated by simple kinetic scheme are 4.7 kcal/mol during the acceleration period of polymerization and 12.2 kcal/mol for an overall reaction. The introduction of additional free AlMe₃ before activating rac‐1 with MAO during polymerization deeply influences the polymerization behavior. The iPPs obtained at various conditions are characterized by high melting point (approximately 155°C), high stereoregularity (almost 100% [mmmm] pentad), low molecular weight (MW), and narrow molecular weight distribution (below 2.0). The fractionation results by various solvents show that iPPs produced at T_p below 30°C are compositionally homogeneous, but those obtained at T_p above 40°C are separated into many fractions. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 737–750, 1999     

Kinetics and mechanism of metallocene‐catalyzed olefin polymerization: Comparison of ethylene,propylene homopolymerizations,and their copolymerization

A series of ethylene, propylene homopolymerizations, and ethylene/propylene copolymerization catalyzed with rac‐Et(Ind)₂ZrCl₂/modified methylaluminoxane (MMAO) were conducted under the same conditions for different duration ranging from 2.5 to 30 min, and quenched with 2‐thiophenecarbonyl chloride to label a 2‐thiophenecarbonyl on each propagation chain end. The change of active center ratio ([C^*]/[Zr]) with polymerization time in each polymerization system was determined. Changes of polymerization rate, molecular weight, isotacticity (for propylene homopolymerization) and copolymer composition with time were also studied. [C^*]/[Zr] strongly depended on type of monomer, with the propylene homopolymerization system presented much lower [C^*]/[Zr] (ca. 25%) than the ethylene homopolymerization and ethylene–propylene copolymerization systems. In the copolymerization system, [C^*]/[Zr] increased continuously in the reaction process until a maximum value of 98.7% was reached, which was much higher than the maximum [C^*]/[Zr] of ethylene homopolymerization (ca. 70%). The chain propagation rate constant (k_p) of propylene polymerization is very close to that of ethylene polymerization, but the propylene insertion rate constant is much smaller than the ethylene insertion rate constant in the copolymerization system, meaning that the active centers in the homopolymerization system are different from those in the copolymerization system. Ethylene insertion rate constant in the copolymerization system was much higher than that in the ethylene homopolymerization in the first 10 min of reaction. A mechanistic model was proposed to explain the observed activation of ethylene polymerization by propylene addition. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55, 867–875     

Preparation of end‐π‐allylnickel macroinitiator from poly(ethylene glycol) allenyl methyl ether and its application to the living coordination polymerization of isonitriles

An end‐π‐allylnickel macroinitiator ( 3 ) was prepared by the reaction of poly(ethylene glycol) allenyl methyl ether with an excess amount (5 equiv) of [(π‐allyl)NiOCOCF₃]₂ ( 1 ) in the presence of PPh₃ ([PPh₃]/[ 1 ] = 1). The resulting macroinitiator was used as an initiator for the polymerization of 1‐phenylethyl isonitrile ( 4a ) to give a block copolymer [poly(ethylene glycol)‐block‐poly( 4a )]. The molecular weight and composition of the block copolymers were controlled by the molecular weight of 3 and the ratio of 4a to 3 . © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 495–499, 2001     

Ring‐opening polymerization of lactones using zirconocene catalytic systems: Block copolymerization with methyl methacrylate

The ring‐opening polymerization of ε‐caprolactone (ε‐CL) and δ‐valerolactone (δ‐VL) using nine catalytic systems consisting of a combination of three C_2v zirconocene complexes and three borate cocatalysts is discussed. The polymerizations proceed in a well‐controlled manner, producing polymers with relatively high molecular weights and narrow molecular weight distributions. Kinetic experiments of the polymerization of ε‐CL with the catalytic system Cp₂ZrMe₂/B(C₆F₅)₃ (1) showed a linear dependence between polymerization yield and molecular weight with time, as well as between the molecular weight with the molar ratio of the monomer over the catalyst [ε‐CL]/[Zr], indicating sufficient control of the polymerization reaction. The catalytic system (1) was utilized for the synthesis of well‐defined block copolymers of MMA with ε‐CL and δ‐VL. All samples were characterized by size exclusion chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance, and differential scanning calorimetry. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 3524–3537, 2007     

Copolymerization of ethylene and cyclopentene with bis(β‐enaminoketonato) titanium complexes

The copolymerizations of ethylene and cyclopentene with bis(β‐enaminoketonato) titanium complexes {[(Ph)NC(R₂)CHC(R₁)O]₂TiCl₂; R₁ = CF₃ and R₂ = CH₃ for 1a , R₁ = Ph and R₂ = CF₃ for 1b ; and R₁ = t‐Bu and R₂ = CF₃ for 1c } activated with modified methylaluminoxane (MMAO) as a cocatalyst were investigated. High‐molecular‐weight copolymers with cis‐1,2‐cyclopentene units were obtained. The catalyst activity, cyclopentene incorporation, polymer molecular weight, and polydispersity could be controlled over a wide range through the variation of the catalyst structure and reaction parameters, such as the Al/Ti molar ratio, cyclopentene feed concentration, and polymerization reaction temperature. The complex 1b /MMAO catalyst system exhibited the characteristics of a quasi‐living ethylene polymerization and an ethylene–cyclopentene copolymerization and allowed the synthesis of polyethylene‐block‐poly(ethylene‐co‐cyclopentene) diblock copolymer. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 1681–1689, 2005     

Aminated PCL‐based copolymers by chemical modification of poly(α‐iodo‐ε‐caprolactone‐co‐ε‐caprolactone)

A novel method is proposed to access to new poly(α‐amino‐ε‐caprolactone‐co‐ε‐caprolactone) using poly(α‐iodo‐ε‐caprolactone‐co‐ε‐caprolactone) as polymeric substrate. First, ring‐opening (co)polymerizations of α‐iodo‐ε‐caprolactone (αIεCL) with ε‐caprolactone (εCL) are performed using tin 2‐ethylhexanoate (Sn(Oct)₂) as catalyst. (Co)polymers are fully characterized by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, FTIR, SEC, DSC, and TGA. Then, these iodinated polyesters are used as polymeric substrates to access to poly(α‐amino‐ε‐caprolactone‐co‐ε‐caprolactone) by two different strategies. The first one is the reaction of poly(αIεCL‐co‐εCL) with ammonia, the second one is the reduction of poly(αN₃εCL‐co‐εCL) by hydrogenolysis. This poly(α‐amino‐ε‐caprolactone‐co‐ε‐caprolactone) (F_αNH2εCL < 0.1) opens the way to new cationic and water‐soluble PCL‐based degradable polyesters. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 6104–6115, 2009     

Synthesis of 4‐((2‐hydroxynaphthalen‐1‐yl)(aryl)methyl)‐5‐methyl‐2‐phenyl‐1H‐pyrazol‐3(2H)‐ones using nano‐Zn‐[2‐boromophenyl‐salicylaldimine‐methylpyranopyrazole]Cl2 nanoparticles

Nano‐Zn‐[2‐boromophenyl‐salicylaldimine‐methylpyranopyrazole]Cl₂ (nano‐[Zn‐2BSMP]Cl₂) as a nanoparticle Schiff base complex and a catalyst was introduced for the solvent‐free synthesis of 4‐((2‐hydroxynaphthalen‐1‐yl)(aryl)methyl)‐5‐methyl‐2‐phenyl‐1H‐pyrazol‐3(2H)‐ones by the multicomponent condensation reaction of various aromatic aldehydes, β‐naphthol, ethyl acetoacetate, and phenyl hydrazine at room temperature.