Effects of substituents on chain-transfer reactivities of p-substituted cumenes in radical polymerization of p-substituted styrenes

In order to study the effects of the substituents in both substrate and attacking radical on the chain-transfer reactivities of nuclear-substituted cumenes toward substituted polystyryl radicals, the polymerizations of p-substituted styrenes in the presence of p-substituted cumenes were carried out with α,α′-azobisisobutyronitrile as an initiator at 60°C, and their chain-transfer constants were determined. The relative chain transfer reactivities of p-substituted cumenes toward given p-substituted polystyryl radicals did not follow the Hammett equation, but were correlated with the modified Hammett equation, log(k/k₀) = pρ + γE_R, which was proposed by the present authors for evaluating the substituent effects in radical reactions. On the other hand, the relative reactivities of poly-(p-substituted styrene) radicals toward given p-substituted cumenes were correlated by the Hammett equation. Thus, it was concluded that the effects of the substituents in substrate cumene depended upon the contributions of both polar and resonance factors, while those in attacking polystyryl radical depended upon only a polar factor.     

Vinyl polymerization. 178. Copolymerizations of p-substituted phenyl vinyl sulfides

The copolymerizations of p-substituted phenyl vinyl sulfides (M₂) having OCH₃, CH₃, H, Cl, and Br substituents with styrene and methyl methacrylate (M₁) and their intercopolymerizations at 60°C. were studied. From the results of copolymerizations with styrene and methyl methacrylate, the monomer reactivity ratios and the Q₂e₂ values were determined. For example, the Q and e values for unsubstituted phenyl vinyl sulfide were 0.45 and ?1.26 in the copolymerization with methyl methacrylate. This result indicated the importance of the 3d orbital resonance between the sulfur atom and the adjacent carbon atom in the transition state of copolymerizations. The relative reactivities of these monomers toward the polymer radicals were found to be correlated with the Hammett σ constants of the substituents. In the intercopolymerizations of these monomers, it was also found that the relative reactivities followed the Hammett equation approximately.     

Retardation of radical polymerization by phenylacetylene and its p-substituted derivatives

Radical polymerizations of styrene and methyl methacrylate in the presence of phenylacetylene and five of its p-substituted derivatives were carried out with the use of 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile as the initiator at 60°C. The initial overall rates of the polymerizations of styrene and methyl methacrylate in the presence of phenylacetylene were not proportional to the square root of the initiator concentration under the experimental conditions employed. The relationship between the overall polymerization rate and the concentration of the phenylacetylenes could be expressed by the Kice equation for the rate of a radical polymerization in the presence of a terminator. From this relationship the rate constant (k_s) of the reaction of a growing polymer radical with the phenylacetylenes and the constant C_s = (k_s/k_p), where k_p is the propagation rate constant of vinyl monomers, were determined. The C_s value thus obtained agree well with that derived from the relationship between the number-average degree of polymerization and the molar ratio of the phenylacetylenes to the vinyl monomer. Therefore the mechanism of the reaction may be considered as being one in which the growing radical reacts with the ethynyl group of the phenylacetylenes to yield a comparatively stable radical which terminates mainly by reaction with the growing radical, and so apparently the phenylacetylenes retard the vinyl polymerization. The substituent effects on the reaction were discussed on the basis of the following modified Hammett equation proposed by Yamamoto and Otsu: log [C_s(p-sub. PA)/C_s(PA)] = ρσ + γE_R where PA represents phenylacetylene, σ and E_R are the Hammett polar substituent constant and resonance substituent constant, respectively, and both ρ and γ are reaction constants. The γ value for the polymerization of both styrene and methyl methacrylate was 1.7. The ρ value was 1.0 for the polymerization of styrene and approximately zero for that of methyl methacrylate. These results demonstrate that the reactivity of the phenylacetylenes with the growing chain is influenced by both polar and resonance effects of their p-substituents in the degradative copolymerization of styrene and only by the resonance effect in that of methyl methacrylate.     

The Reactivities of α -Substituted Acrylonitriles and Acrylic Esters in Radical Copolymerizations

Abstract

In order to clarify the effect of the substituents in a-substituted acrylonitriles and acrylic esters on their relative reactivities toward a polystyryl radical, the radical copolymerizations of diethyl methylenemalonate, ethyl a-chloroacrylate, ethyl a-bromoacrylate, a-chloroacrylonitrile, methyl a-methoxyacrylate, and a-methoxyacrylonitrile with styrene (M₂) were investigated at 60°C. From the copolymerization parameters obtained in this study and those reported in the literature, it was confirmed that the a substituents additively contributed to the values of log Q and e of the monomers. Hence, the reactivities of a-substituted acrylonitriles and acrylic esters relative to unsubstituted acrylonitrile and methyl acrylate toward polystyryl radical, respectively, were expressed by the following equation: log (rel. react.) = δlog Q_X + 0.83 σp where δ log Q_x and σp are the resonance and polar substituent constants of α substituents, respectively. The values of δ log Q_x were determined for CH₃0, CH₃, C₆H₅, Cl, Br, OCOCH₃, COOCH₃, and CN substituents, and these values were closely related to the other resonance substituent constants such as ER and R of corresponding substituents, except for OCH₃ substituent. This relationship could also be applied to monosubstituted ethylenic monomers by using the same parameters. However, the reactivities of a-substituted styrenes deviated from this relationship because of the low ceiling temperatures of these monomers.     

Chain transfer by addition–substitution–fragmentation mechanism. I. End–functional polymers by a single-step free radical transfer reaction: Use of a new allylic linear peroxyketal

A new chain transfer agent, ethyl 2-[1-(1-n-butoxyethylperoxy) ethyl] propenoate (EBEPEP) was used in the free radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA), styrene (St), and butyl acrylate (BA) to produce end-functional polymers by a radical addition–substitution–fragmentation mechanism. The chain transfer constants (C_tr) for EBEPEP in the three monomers polymerization at 60°C were determined from measurements of the degrees of polymerization. The C_tr were determined to be 0.086, 0.91, and 0.63 in MMA, St, and BA, respectively. EBEPEP behaves nearly as an “azeotropic” transfer agent for styrene at 60°C. The activation energy, E_atr, for the chain transfer reaction of EBEPEP with PMMA radicals was determined to be 29.5 kJ/mol. Thermal stability of peroxyketal EBEPEP in the polymerization medium was estimated from the DSC measurements of the activation energy, E_ath = 133.5 kJ/mol, and the rate constants, k_th, of the thermolysis to various temperature. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Kinetic Studies on Nucleophilic Addition Reactions of 4‐X‐substituted Anilines to N1‐methyl‐4‐nitro‐2,1,3 benzothiadiazolium terafluoroborate in Acetonitrile: Reaction Mechanism and Mayr's Approach

The kinetics of the coupling of N1‐methyl‐4‐nitro‐2,1,3 benzothiadiazolium tetrafluoroborate 1 with a series of 4‐X‐substituted anilines 2a–f (X = OH, OMe, Me, H, Cl, and CN) have been investigated in acetonitrile at 20°C. The second‐order rate constants result in a nonlinear Brönsted‐type plot. The Hammett plot is also nonlinear, whereas the Yukawa–Tsuno plot exhibits an excellent linear correlation with ρ = –1.62 and r = 1.44. The large Brönsted (β_nuc = 1.24) and Hammett (ρ = –5.16) values suggest that the reactions proceed trough a single electron transfer mechanism. The finding of satisfactory correlation between the log k₁ of the reactions and the oxidation potentials (E°) of anilines 2a–d supports this mechanism. On the other hand, electrophilicity parameter E of benzothiadiazolium cation 1 as defined by the correlation log k_20°C = s(E + N) has been determined and compared with the electrophilic reactivities of a large variety of electrophiles.     

Photopolymerization of styrene,p-chlorostyrene,methyl methacrylate,and butyl methacrylate with polymethylphenylsilane as photoinitiator

The rates of photochemical polymerization of styrene (St), p-chlorostyrene (Cl-St), methyl methacrylate (MMA), and butyl methacrylate (BMA) with polymethylphenylsilane (PMPS) as an initiator were measured. Polymethylphenylsilane is photodegrated to form silyl radicals that may initiate polymerization of vinyl monomers. Rate constants k_p and k_t have been determined for these systems. A good correlation (log P = α + βμ) of the resonance stabilization (P) of the chain radicals and the dipole moment (μ) of the monomers is observed for these polymerization systems. This equation may be used to estimate the resonance stabilization (P) of a monomer and the polymerization rate constant (k_p). © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Chain transfer by addition-fragmentation mechanism. VII. Radical polymerization of vinyl monomers in the presence of ethyl 2-[1-(trimethylsilylperoxy)ethyl]propenoate and related compounds

Ethyl 2-[1-(trimethylsilylperoxy)ethyl]propenoate 1 , ethyl 2-[1-(dimethylvinylsilylperoxy)-ethyl]propenoate 2 , ethyl 2-[1-(1-(2-ethoxycarbonyl-1-methyl-2-propenylperoxysilyl)-1-methylethylperoxy)ethyl]propenoate 3 , and 2-phenyl-2-trimethylsilylperoxypropane 4 were synthesized and added to the free radical polymerization of vinylic monomers. 1 and 2 were found to show no homopolymerizability but act as effective chain transfer reagents in radical polymerizations of methyl methacrylate (MMA), styrene (St), and n-butyl acrylate (BA). The estimated chain transfer constants (C_tr) are as follows: C_tr ( 1 ) = 0.15 for MMA, 0.90 for St, and 2.03 for BA at 60°C; C_tr ( 2 ) = 0.12 for MMA, 1.16 for St, and 1.9 for BA at 60°C. ¹H–NMR spectra of poly(St) formed in the presence of 1 is consistent with the view that the polymers bear an oxirane at one terminal and an trimethylsilyloxy fragment at the other end. Moreover, peroxysilane 4 showed very low transfer properties by direct homolytic substitution (SH₂). These findings indicate that the ethyl 2-[1-(substituted dimethylsilylperoxy)ethyl]-propenoates 1–3 undergo chain transfer reaction via a intramolecular homolytic substitution (SHi) following an addition process. Preparation of poly(styrene) up to high conversion in the presence of 3 yielded to the formation of the corresponding polymeric structures bearing hydrolysable C(SINGLE BOND)O(SINGLE BOND)Si(SINGLE BOND)O(SINGLE BOND)C bonds. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the addition of the phthalimid-n-oxyl radical to the double bond of vinyl compounds

The kinetics of the decomposition of the phthalimid-N-oxyl radical (PINO) in acetic acid has been studied. The rate constants of the addition of the radical to T bonds of molecules of vinyl compounds – styrene, methyl methacrylate, acrylonitrile, and methyl acrylate – have been measured. It was shown that electron-donor substituents in the monomer molecule increase, while electron-acceptor substituents decrease the rate of addition. The reactivity of monomers in the elementary step of addition of the PINO radical decreases in the order CH₂=C(CH₃)C₆H₅ > CH₂=CHC₆H₅ > CH₂=C(CH₃)COOCH₃ > CH₂=CHCOOCH₃ > CH₂=CHCN.     

Long branching in poly(vinyl acetate) and poly(vinyl alcohol). III. Kinetic study of the branching reaction in the radical polymerization of vinyl acetate

The branching reaction in the radical polymerization of vinyl acetate was studied kinetically. Branching occurs by polymer transfer as well as terminal double-bond copolymerization. The chain-transfer constants to the main chain (C_p,2) and to the acetoxy methyl group (C_p,1) on the polymer were calculated on the basis of the experimental data described in the preceding paper giving C_p,2 = 3.03 × 10^?4, C_p,1 = 1.27 × 10^?4 at 60°C, and C_p,2 = 2.48 × 10^?4, C_p,1 = 0.52 × 10^?4 at 0°C. Chain transfer to monomer is important with respect to the formation of the terminal double bond. The total values of transfer constants to the α- or β-position in the vinyl group and the acetoxymethyl group in vinyl acetate was determined to be 2.15 × 10^?4 at 60°C. The transfer constant to the acetyl group in the monomer (C_m,1) was also evaluated to be 2.26 × 10^?4 at 60°C from the quantitative determination of the carboxyl terminals in PVA. These facts suggest that the chain-transfer constant to the α- or β-position in the monomer (C_m,2) is nearly equal to zero within experimental error. Copolymerization reactivity parameters of the terminal double bond were also estimated. In conclusion, it has become clear that the formation of nonhydrolyzable branching by the terminal double-bond reaction can be almost neglected, and hence that the long branching in PVA is formed only by the polymer transfer mechanism. On the other hand, a large number of hydrolyzable branches in PVAc are prepared by the terminal double-bond reaction rather than by polymer transfer.     

Effects of polysulfides on the polymerization of methyl methacrylate

The effect of organic sulfur compounds on the radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate initiated by azobisisobutyronitrile at 50°C. has been studied. The sulfur compounds used were benzene-type polysulfides (C₆H₅CH₂? S_n? CH₂C₆H₅; n = 0–4), benzyl mercaptan, and sulfur (S₈). All sulfur compounds studied, except dibenzyl, dibenzyl monosulfide, and dibenzyl disulfide, were found to behave as retarders under these experimental conditions. Chain-transfer constants of these compounds were determined from rate measurements and from the conventional method based on numberaverage degree of polymerization. Chain-transfer constants of benzyl-type polysulfides were less than those of mercaptan and sulfur and increased with increasing sulfur. The correlation of the reactivities of sulfur compounds as transfer agents and their molecular structures is discussed.     

Copolymerization Reactivities of α-Substituted Crotonyl Monomers

The radical copolymerizations of various α- substituted crotonyl monomers with styrene (St) and acrylonitrile (AN) were investigated, and the copolymerization parameters were determined by a least-squares procedure reported previously. The relative reactivities of the α-substituted crotonyl monomers toward polymer radicals of St and AN were found to correlate with the equation: log (relative reactivity of CH₃CH[dbnd]CXY) = ρ (σ + σ_Y) + A(Δlog Q_x + Δlog Q_Y), where Σ and Δlog Q are the polar Hammett and resonance substituent constants, respectively, and p and A are reaction constants. From the observed straight line relationships, the values of p and A were obtained to be as follows: ρ = 0.66, A = 0.75 for attack of poly-St radical, and ρ = -3.20, A = 1.3 for attack of poly-AN radical.     

Chain transfer with siloxanes during free-radical polymerization

Chain transfer constants (C_s) for a number of substrates containing the silicon-oxygen bond are measured in polymerizing methyl methacrylate. Additionally, a few measurements are run in styrene in order to estimate the influence of polar factors on chain transfer. The methylsiloxanes studied all show very low values of C_s (10^?5 to 10^?6). The chain transfer constants of a number of propylsiloxane derivatives are negligibly influenced by the presence of silicon. Thus, (Me₃SiO)₂MeSiCH₂MeCH(C₆H₅) shows a value of C_s nearly that reported for cumene, and (MeO)₃SiCH₂CH₂CH₂SH shows values of C_s close to those reported for alkyl mercaptans.     

Solvent effect on radical polymerization of butyl acrylate

The propagation and termination rate constants k_p and k_t for the radical polymerization of butyl acrylate initiated by biacetyl have been measured by using the rotating-sector method, in various solvents at 30°C. The value of k_p and initiation rate R_i varied with solvents, while the value of k_t did not change with solvents except for benzonitrile. The variation of k_p with aromatic solvents has a trend against Hammett σ_p of the solvent substituents similar to that for methyl methacrylate or phenyl methacrylate except for the value in benzonitrile, when it is larger than the variation for methyl methacrylate or phenyl methacrylate. The larger variation of k_p for butyl acrylate is compatible with the view that the origin of the solvent effect lies in complex formation between the propagating radical and aromatic solvent molecules. The exceptional decrease in k_p and k_t in benzonitrile is explained by a contraction of the poly(butyl acrylate) chain in the poor solvent.     

Simplified treatment of cooligomerization kinetics

Equations for the degree of polymerization and the cooligomer composition in the styrene (A)–methyl methacrylate (B)–CCl₄(S) system were derived from the assumed reaction scheme by the use of some assumptions for simplification, and their appropriateness was examined. The chain transfer constants of the growing radicals of styrene (C_SA) and methyl methacrylate (C_SB) to CCl₄, which were estimated from the apparent chain transfer constants C_SAB in the cooligomerization system, agreed with the homooligomerization values. This means that the degree of the polymerization of the cooligomer can be expressed by the equation: where P_n is the degree of polymerization of the cooligomer and P_nO is that when no chain transfer agent (CCl₄) is added; r_A and r_B are the monomer reactivity ratios of monomers A and B in this system. The cooligomer composition deviated from the statistical steady-state composition on the low molecular weight side, and this deviation was explained by the equation:      

Preparation of polymers with substituted allyl end group using dimer of α-methylvinyl monomer as addition fragmentation chain transfer agent at high temperatures

The dimerization of methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, methacrylonitrile, and α-methylstyrene to 2-substituted-1-allylic compounds [CH₂?C(X)CH₂C(CH₃)₂X] (X = COOR, C₆H₅, or CN), and methyl α-ethylacrylate to a 3-substituted-2-allylic compound [CH₃CH?C(COOCH₃)CH₂C(CH₃)(C₂H₅) COOCH₃] was carried out by catalytic chain transfer using benzylbis (dimethylglyoximato) (pyridine) cobalt (III). These dimers were then used as addition-fragmentation chain transfer agents in the polymerizations of methyl methacrylate and styrene at 80⁰C or above. Cross-dimers from methacrylic ester-α-methylstyrene and methacrylonitrile-α-methylstyrene mixtures were similarly prepared. Except for those from methyl α-ethylacrylate and methacrylonitrile, all the dimers participated in the addition-fragmentation and the copolymerization to different extents. The dimer of methyl α-ethylacrylate was actually inactive during the styrene and methyl methacrylate polymerizations. The methacrylonitrile dimer was primarily incorporated in the polymer chain through copolymerization. Among the dimer and the cross-dimers from α-methylstyrene with the other monomers, those bearing the α-methylstyrene moiety in the α-substituent [CH₂?C(X)CH₂C(CH₃)₂C₆H₅, X?COOCH₃, COOC₂H₅, and CN] are noted as highly reactive chain transfer agents. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Catalytic inhibition in free radical polymerizations

Free radical polymerizations of methyl methacrylate and methacrylamide in DMF solution were found to be catalytically inhibited by the addition of the boron fluoride derivative of cobaloxime to the system. The nature of this inhibition is examined and equations which describe the kinetics of these catalytically inhibited polymerizations are developed. Using these equations estimates of the inhibition constants (C_z) of 7.23 × 10² and 2.27 × 10² were estimated for methacrylamide and methyl methacrylate, respectively.     

Macrothiuram disulfide for the free radical synthesis of PDMS-vinyl triblock copolymers. II. Studies of chain transfer

Chain transfer constants (C_tr) for thiuram disulfide (TD) groups, included in the backbone of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) of different chain lengths, in methyl methacrylate (MMA) and styrene (St) were determined from measurements of the degree of polymerization. Two methods were used. The first consisted of using the initiation and transfer properties of the thiuram disulfides groups, and the second, of using a more efficient free radical initiator than TD groups, in which case the former behaves only as a transfer agent. In both the methods, the C_tr of TD was evaluated in bulk polymerization of MMA at 60, 70, 80, and 90°C. Using the first method, the C_tr of TD was measured also in solution polymerization of MMA in toluene at 100°C and, with the second one, in bulk polymerization of styrene at 60, 80, and 90°C. PDMS-based macrothiuram disulfide (macroiniferter) behaves as an “azeotropic” transfer agent for MMA and styrene at 125°C and 110°C, respectively. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Polymerization of mono‐, Di‐, and trichloroethyl methacrylates: A study in chain transfer

Bulk free radical polymerization of the monomer series CH₂ = C(CH₃)C(O)OCH₂CH_3‐n Cl_n , n = 1, 2, 3, yields an unexpectedly crosslinked product with a crosslink density that increases with decreasing chlorine content of the respective monomer (n = 3 < n = 2 < n = 1). This chlorine substituent effect is investigated by correlation with chain transfer constant measurements for four homologous series of chloroalkyl compounds (chloroethyl acetates (CH₃C(O)OCH₂CH_3‐n Cl_n , n = 1,2,3); chloromethanes (CH_4‐n Cl_n , n = 2,3,4) and CD₂Cl₂ and CDCl₃ analogs; butyl chloride isomers (n‐ , iso‐ , sec‐, tert‐) and tert‐C₄D₉Cl analog; and nine chloroethanes (C₂H_{n ?6}Cl_n , n = 1–6)) in a methyl methacrylate polymerization. The pattern conveyed by the magnitude of chain transfer constants and deuterium isotope effects is consistent with a vicinal chlorine effect (i.e., chlorine activation of a vicinal hydrogen for abstraction) to account for the relative activities of the four series of model compounds and for the propensity of the chloroethyl methacrylates to crosslink in a bulk free radical polymerization. The chloroalkyl moiety's contribution to chain transfer is relatively modest (≤10^?4), but, when incorporated as a monomer pendant group in free radical polymerizations, it is effective in broadening molecular weight to the extent of resulting in a crosslinked polymer. Published 2016.^? J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55 , 93–106     

Kinetics of the reaction of sodium arylthiolates with nitro-carboxybenzyl halide derivatives

The rate constants for the reactions of 4-halomethyl-3-nitrobenzoic acids, the nonnitro derivatives, and their ethyl esters with arylthiolates were measured at different temperatures. It was found that the retardation in rate constants compared to benzyl halides is due to the electrostatic repulsion between the electronegative substituents (COO⁻ and/or NO₂) in the substrates and thiolate ions. Good correlations between log k₂ values of the acids and carbon basicities of thiolates were found while log k₂ values of the esters show good straight lines with Hammett σ constants, pk_a, and carbon basicities of arylthiolates. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons Inc