Photochemistry of polymeric systems. I. Photocrosslinking of polymers and copolymers containing pyridine N-oxide groups

Vinylpyridine-N-oxide units were introduced in polymeric chains in order to study their photocrosslinking. Copolymers of styrene and 4-vinylpyridine-N-oxide were especially synthesized and studied. The methods used for characterization of photocrosslinked films were a “photoresist test” or the measurement of the insolubility and of the swelling ratio. The Cleavage of the N-oxide bond was responsible for the photocrosslinking. The competitive formation of carbonyl compounds took place and decreased the rate of photocrosslinking. This last reaction is favored by triplet-state quenchers. The photosensitivity of the copolymers was determined as a function of the wavelength of the radiation used. When the photocrosslinking proceeded, a film of the copolymeric material became transparent in the 280–320-nm range. Thick films could therefore be completely photocrosslinked when irradiated in this range of wavelength.     

Novel surface fixation technology of hydrogel based on photochemical method: Heparin-immobilized hydrogelated surface

This article reports a novel photoinduced surface process technology enabling simultaneous hydrogel formation and its surface fixation on polymeric substrates. The process consists of layering two different types of photoreactive coatings on a polymeric surface, an azidophenyl-bearing polymer as an adhesive layer and cinnamoylated copolymer as a hydrogel layer, and subsequent UV irradiation. The photoreactive adhesive polymer coated on a substrate is poly(m-azidostyrene), in which photoreaction of phenyl azido groups is responsible for the chemical bonding between the substrate and hydrogel. N,N-dimethylacrylamide copolymer containing cinnamate moieties in their side chains, which undergo photocrosslinking via intermolecular dimerization, was applied as an overcoat on the adhesive layer. UV irradiation resulted in the formation of hydrogel chemically bonded onto the substrate. This was confirmed by ESCA measurements. A heparin-immobilized hydrogelated surface with controlled release characteristics was demonstrated. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Reactions on polymers with amine groups. V. Addition of pyridine and imidazole groups with acetylenecarboxylic acids

Unsaturated macromolecular carboxybetaines were obtained by reaction of poly(4-vinylpyridine) and poly(N-vinylimidazole) with propiolic acid. A kinetic model was presented for 4-methylpyridine. It consists of three coupled reactions: neutralization, addition which involves two molecules of acid and leads to a cation–anion pair structure, where the cation results from the addition of the amine nitrogen to the triple bond of acid, and an equilibrium reaction between the ion-pair structure and the betaine structure. The addition rate was found to be higher for poly(4-vinylpyridine) than for poly(N-vinylimidazole); it was also higher in water than in a water–methanol mixture. The reaction with acetylenedicarboxylic acid was carried out on poly(N-vinylimidazole), but the transformed units showed the structure that results from propiolic acid. The betaine products from 4-methylpyridine did not polymerize by radical initiation. The polymeric products show characteristics of photocrosslinking polymers. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 1615–1623, 1998     

Photocrosslinkable smart terpolymers responding to pH,temperature, and ionic strength

A series of copolymers of acrylic acid, N‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM), and cinnamoyloxyethyl acrylate were synthesized and studied. The polymers were responsive to four stimuli: UV light, temperature, pH, and ionic strength. The polymeric cinnamoyl chromophores underwent efficient photodimerization with concomitant photocrosslinking of the polymeric micelles. Because of the content of NIPAM, the terpolymers displayed a lower critical solution temperature, which could be controlled by the polymer composition, pH, and ionic strength. The ability to respond to the pH resulted from the content of acrylic carboxyl groups, which became protonated at low pHs. The changes in the polymer properties due to the application of the aforementioned stimuli were studied with pyrene and perylene as fluorescent probes. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 3879–3886, 2004     

Synthesis and functionalities of poly(N-vinylalkylamide). V. Control of a lower critical solution temperature of poly(N-vinylalkylamide)

N-vinyl-n-butyramide (NVBA), N-vinylisovaleramide (NVIVA), and N-vinyl-n-valeramide (NVVA), which are N-vinylalkylamides with different alkyl groups were synthesized and their solution behavior in a polymeric form was examined. Copolymers of N-vinylisobutyramide (NVIBA) with N-vinylacetamide (NVA), NVIBA with NVVA, and NVVA with NVA were prepared by the solution polymerization to control the LCSTs. The resultant polyNVBA showed a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) sharply at 32°C, but polyN-vinylisovaleramide (polyNVIVA) and polyN-vinyl-n-valeramide(polyNVVA) that have n-butyl and isobutyl groups, respectively, on their side chains were insoluble even in cold water. The water solubility of the resulting polymers was found to vary, depending on the molecular shapes as well as the side chain length of the alkyl groups in question. The copolymers consisting of NVVA, NVIBA, and NVA in water showed LCSTs sharply between 10 and 90°C, depending on changes in their comonomer content. It was found that the changes in LCST that are caused by the incorporation of comonomers are due to changes in the overall hydrophilicity of the polymer. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 3087–3094, 1997     

P-N Compounds. 27. Synthesis of a 5-amino-4,6-dioxo-1,3,5,2-triazaphosphorine 2-oxide

Heating N⁴-phenylphosphinyl-bis-(N¹-dimethyl) semicarbazide in the presence, but not in the absence, of iodomethane gave 2-phenyl-5-dimethylamino-4,6-dioxo-1,3,5,2-triazaphosphorine 2-oxide and a mechanism for this reaction is proposed. The compound was also prepared by the addition of 1,1-dimethylhydrazine to phenylphosphonic diisocyanate. Treatment of the product with excess iodomethane gave a polymeric material and 1,1,1-trimethylhydrazinium iodides.     

Modification of PVC. XXVI. Syntheses and photocrosslinking of polysulfide pendant poly(vinyl chloride)

Poly(vinyl chloride) pendant with polysulfide (PS–PVC) having various degrees of substitution, various S substituents, and various numbers of atoms in the sulfur chain has been synthesized by the reaction of poly(vinyl chloride) with a thiol, sulfur, and triethylamine in dimethylformamide at 30°C for 0.4–5 hr. The photocrosslinking reaction has been investigated under ultraviolet irradiation at 250–450 mμ. The photocrosslinking reaction of PS–PVC is influenced by the degree of substitution, the nature of the S substituent, and the number of atoms in the sulfur chain. The degree of photocrosslinking r increased in the order, n-C₄H₉? < n-C₈H₁₇? < C₆H₅CH₂? < i-C₃H₇? < t-C₄H₉? . On the photocrosslinking of PS–PVC having two different S substituents, r increases in the similar order for aliphatic substituents and in the order NO₂C₆H₄? < ClC₆H₄? < C₆H₅CH₂? < CH₃C₆H₄? < t-C₄H₉C₆H₄? < C₆H₅? for the aromatic substituents. Further, r increases markedly with the increase of sulfur chain number for all PS–PVC. The chemical structure of the crosslinks and the crosslinking mechanism are discussed on the basis of the results.     

Novel synthesis of polymeric phase transfer catalysts containing N,N-dialkylacrylamide unit and their catalytic activity

Soluble polymeric phase transfer catalysts (PTCs) containing benzyltributylphosphonium chloride moieties and polar N,N-dialkyl-acrylamide with long alkyl groups such as N,N-dipropylacrylamide, N,N-dibutylacrylamide, N,N-dihexylacrylamide, and N,N-dioctylacrylamide were prepared via two-step reactions from p-chloromethylstyrene and the corresponding N,N-dialkylacrylamide. When the obtained polymers were added, the phase transfer catalyzed reaction of benzylchloride with solid potassium acetate to proceed smoothly. The catalytic activity was strongly affected by the content of phosphonium chloride and the varieties of comonomer unit in the polymeric PTC. The polymeric PTC containing the N,N-dihexylacrylamide unit showed excellent high catalytic activity in a low polar solvent such as the mixed solvent of toluene with 70 vol % n-tridecane. Therefore, the polymer containing lipophilic long chains such as the hexyl group is desirable for polymeric PTC. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis and photocrosslinking of maleimide-type polymers

Self-sensitizable photocrosslinking maleimide-type polymers were synthesized by using (N-cinnamoyloxymethyl)maleimide ( 1 ) as a maleimide having a photodimerizable group, nitrophenyl acrylate as a sensitizer monomer, and styrene or methyl acrylate. The fluorescence spectra of these polymers exhibit an excimer band around 455 nm. The excimer intensity of the polymers decreased mainly during the early irradiation time. This decreasing tendency was similar to the increasing tendency of the insoluble fractions of the polymers with irradiation time. These results suggest that the photocrosslinking reaction of the polymers occurs via an excimer formation of the cinnamoyl groups and can be traced by fluorescence spectroscopy.     

Photocationic crosslinking of poly(2,3-epithiopropyl methacrylate) and photo-initiated cationic polymerization of its model compounds

Photocationic crosslinking of a poly(2,3-epithiopropyl methacrylate) (PETMA) film containing 4-N,N-diethylaminobenzene diazonium tetrafluoroborate (DAC) was investigated. Very rapid photocrosslinking of PETMA was observed and the rate was greater than that of poly(glycidyl methacrylate) with DAC. Post-heating of the irradiated PETMA film resulted in a decrease of the insoluble fraction. This decrease was explained by scission of crosslinking points by the BF₃. In the present conditions, more than 0.3 wt % of DAC was required to insolubilize the PETMA film. Photopolymerizations of propylene sulfide (PS) and 2,3-epithiopropyl pivalate (ETPP) in the presence of DAC were investigated. The polymerization of PS proceeded smoothly but addition of ethyl acetate to PS depressed the rate and the degree of polymerization. ETPP could not be polymerized but copolymerized with PS by this method. Addition of ETPP to PS depressed both the rate of the polymerization and the degree of polymerization. From these results, it is deduced that the photocrosslinking of a PETMA film is caused by a cationic polymerization of episulfide groups but the chain length is not large.     

Photocrosslinking of poly(2,3-epithiopropyl methacrylate) by the oxidation of pendant episulfide groups

In the photocrosslinking of poly(2,3-epithiopropyl methacrylate) (PETMA) films the effect of the pendant episulfide group's oxidation on the crosslinking of PETMA was investigated. Thermal crosslinking of PETMA is promoted by peroxides such as benzoyl peroxide and hydrogen peroxide. IR spectrum of the crosslinked PETMA showed that the reaction proceeded through the oxidation of episulfide groups by the peroxides. The anthracene (An) sensitized photocrosslinking of PETMA films also proceeded via the oxidation of episulfide groups by singlet oxygen. It was found that residual tetrahydrofuran (THF) in the films remarkably increased the rate of the photocrosslinking and/or reduced the induction period. From the further investigation concerning casting solvents it was found that residual CS₂, CCl₄, and CHCl₃ in films increased the rate of the photocrosslinking and/or reduced the induction period of the photocrosslinking. The disappearance rate of An in the films was also increased by the presence of residual CS₂, CCl₄, and CHCl₃, differring from the result of THF. These results were explained by a difference in lifetime of singlet oxygen in the films. From the results were explained by a difference in lifetime of singlet oxygen in the films. From the results concerning the effects of hydroperoxides such as THF hydroperoxide and t-butyl hydroperoxide on the photocrosslinking of PETMA films the acceleration effect of the residual THF was deduced to be due to the promotion of singlet oxygen-oxidation of sulfide groups by protic compounds such as THF hydroperoxide and H₂O in the THF.     

Photopolymerization V. Unsensitized solution photocyclopolymerization of N,N ′-alkylenebismaleimides

The term, “photopolymerization,” is defined as a polymerization process in which every chain-propagating step involves a photo-chemical reaction. This type of polymerization is exemplified by the unsensitized solution photocyclopolymerization of several N,N ′-alkylenebismaleimides, substituted at the double bond. N,N ′-Alkylenebismaleimides substituted with a bromine atom or two methyl groups at their double bond produce high polymeric products upon ultraviolet irradiation in solution. A general reaction scheme for the photopolymerization is proposed. Kinetic measurements show that the solution photopolymerization of substituted bismaleimides is a multistep reaction.     

Biodegradable and pH-sensitive hydrogels: Synthesis by crosslinking of N,N-dimethylacrylamide copolymer precursors

Novel pH-sensitive hydrogels containing azoaromatic crosslinks were synthesized by the crosslinking of polymeric precursors. First, a reactive polymeric precursor was synthesized by copolymerization of N,N-dimethylacrylamide, N-tert-butylacrylamide, acrylic acid, and N-methacryloylglycylglycine p-nitrophenyl ester. The hydrogel was prepared in the second step by the reaction of the polymeric precursor with N,N′-(ω-aminocaproyl)-4,4′-diaminoazobenzene. The hydrogels were characterized by the network structure, (that is, content of crosslinks, unreacted pendent groups, and cycles), the equilibrium swelling ratio as a function of pH, modulus of elasticity in compression, and the degradability in vitro. The results obtained indicated that the hydrogel network structure strongly depends on the reaction conditions such as polymer concentration, and the ratio of the reactive groups during the crosslinking reaction. The swelling and mechanical properties of hydrogels can be controlled by the modification of polymer backbone structure and/or the crosslinking density. The rates of hydrogel degradation depended on their degree of swelling. The higher the degree of swelling, the higher the degradability. The properties of the hydrogels suggest that they have a potential as carriers for colon-specific drug delivery. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

POLY [N-(4-PYRIDINIUM DICHROMATE)-P-STYRENE SULPHONAMIDE] AS AN EFFICIENT REAGENT FOR OXIDATION OF ALCOHOLS

POLY [N-(4-PYRIDINIUM DICHROMATE)-P-STYRENE SULPHONAMIDE] is readily prepared. It is a stable, mild, and efficient oxidizing reagent that can be used for oxidation of different alcohols to their corresponding carbonyl compounds in approtic solvents. This polymer can be synthesized from the reaction between poly [N-(4-pyridyl)-p-styrene sulphonamide] and CrO ₃ in a minimum amount of water. The latter polymer was prepared by free radical polymerization of [N-(4-pyridyl)-p-styrene sulphonamide] by using azobis(isobutyronitrile) (AIBN) as an initiator. N-(4-pyridyl)-p-styrene sulphonamide was synthesized from commercial 4-vinyl benzene sulphonic acid sodium salt and 4-amino pyridine. POLY [N-(4-PYRIDINIUM DICHROMATE)-P-STYRENE SULPHONAMIDE] can oxidize both aliphatic and aromatic alcohols in good yields at a temperature of 38°C and in CH ₂ Cl ₂ as solvent. One advantage in using this reagent is the mild condition of the reaction system. The synthesized compounds including polymeric reagent and carbonyl compounds were identified by HNMR and IR spectroscopy.     

Synthesis,photocrosslinking characteristics,and biocompatibility evaluation of N‐vinyl pyrrolidone/polycaprolactone fumarate biomaterials using a new proton scavenger

Photocrosslinkable and biodegradable polymeric networks were formulated based on N‐vinyl pyrrolidone‐poly(ε‐caprolactone fumarate) (NVP/PCLF) compositions for hard tissue engineering applications using a new proton scavenger, propylene oxide (PO). The synthesized macromers were obtained as a white clear paste with no colorization. The obtained macromers were thoroughly characterized using spectroscopic (NMR and FT‐IR) and chromatographic (gel permeation chromatography (GPC)) techniques. Photocrosslinking of the PCLF/NVP compositions was achieved using camphorquinone and dimethyl toluidine (DMT) as a photoinitiator system. The cytocompatibility of the macromers and their corresponding networks were evaluated via MTT assay. Characterization of the networks indicated the importance of NVP content on the network properties. Sol fraction studies indicated that more than 90% of the PCLFs were crosslinked over the studied range of PCLF/NVP compositions; however most of the NVP above a stoichiometric ratio of one NVP to fumerate unit remained unreacted. It was also found that in the concentrations more than 10% NVP, the unreacted NVP monomer neither participated in the crosslinking reaction nor homopolymerized to poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP). The elastic modulus (G′) and estimated molecular weight between crosslinks also confirmed that at the higher NVP content the PCLF photocrosslinking was hindered. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis of main‐chain hydrogen‐bonded supramolecular liquid crystalline complexes: The effects of spacer on thermal behavior of mesophase

Two series of difunctional proton acceptors, stilbazole derivatives 4a – c and 6a – c with different spacers, oligo(methylene) and oligo(ethylene glycol), respectively, were synthesized. Hydrogen‐bonded polymeric complexes 4 / 7 and 6 / 7 and trimeric complexes 4 / 8₂ and 6 / 82 ( 7 and 8 are aromatic dicarboxylic acids and monocarboxylic acids, respectively) were prepared, and their liquid crystallinity was examined. The effects of the spacer in 4 , 6 , and 7 and the terminal group in 8 on the thermal behaviors of hydrogen‐bonded complexes were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry and polarizing optical microscopy. X‐ray diffraction at elevated temperatures was used to verify liquid crystal phases. The study showed that the phase transition temperatures for isotropic to nematic (T_I–Ns) of polymeric complexes 4 / 7 and 6 / 7 in general decreased with the increase in length of spacer in the corresponding proton donors 7 . The increase in length of the proton acceptors 6 led to a drop of T_I–Ns of the corresponding complexes 6 / 7 ; however, the T_I–Ns of complexes 4 / 7 did not show any correlation with the spacer length in 4 . In contrast, the increase in length of the terminal group in 8 resulted in a slight decrease in T_I–Ns of trimeric complexes 4 / 8₂ , but had a negligible effect on the T_I–Ns of 6 / 8₂ because of the presence of the more flexible spacer in the proton acceptors 6 . © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 4731–4743, 2005     

1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition reaction of aryl nitrile oxides with alkenes using imidazole and pyridine containing reusable polymeric base catalysts

Cross-linked poly-1-(4-vinylbenzyl)imidazole and cross-linked poly-4-vinylpyridine have been prepared from respective vinyl monomers using different quantities of divinylbenzene as a cross-linker by radical polymerization. The polymeric bases were characterized by FT-IR, TGA, field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis. Their swelling behavior was also studied. They were used as base catalysts for 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of aryl nitrile oxides, generated in situ from N-hydroxyimidoyl chloride, with N-phenylmaleimide and ethyl acrylate, to obtain 3-arylisoxazolines. Both the bases gave excellent results. These polymers were reusable, safe to use, and provided good alternative for organic nonreusable bases like pyridine and triethylamine which are hazardous.     

Characterisation and cryomagnetic study of a hydrothermally synthesised hydrogen bonded L–M–L type co-ordination polymer

A ligand–metal–ligand type co-ordination polymer [Ni (C₆H₁₂N₄)(NCS)₂(H₂O)₂] _n has been synthesised under controlled hydrothermal conditions. Here 1,3,5,7-tetraazatricyclo[3.3.1]decane [or hexamethylenetetramine (hmt)] has been used as a μ-(N,N′) bidentate spacer molecule. The prepared polymeric complex has been characterised by elemental and spectral analyses. The structure has been confirmed by a single crystal X-ray diffraction study. Magneto-structural correlation has been drawn from cryomagnetic susceptibility measurements (2–300 K) which unequivocally reflects very weak magnetic spin interactions among the long distant octahedral Ni(II) metal centres mediated by hmt and weak hydrogen bonding interactions between the adjacent zigzag one-dimensional polymeric chains carrying into a two-dimensional infinite polymeric framework.     

Novel synthesis of polymeric phase transfer catalyst containing polar unit

Soluble polymeric phase transfer catalysts (PTCs) containing benzyltributylphosphonium chloride moieties and p-nitrophenoxy group or N,N-dimethylacrylamide as a polar unit were prepared via two-step reactions from polymers with chloromethyl group and polar units. These polymers were synthesized by copolymerization of p-chloromethylstyrene and the corresponding monomer or substitution of some parts of chloromethyl group with potassium p-nitrophenoxide. When the obtained polymers were added, the phase transfer catalyzed reaction of benzylchloride with solid potassium acetate to proceed smoothly. The catalytic activity was strongly affected by the content of phosphonium chloride and the varieties of comonomer unit in the polymeric PTC. The polymeric PTC containing N,N-dimethylacrylamide unit showed much higher catalytic activity than the corresponding low molecular weight PTC when the phase transfer catalyzed reaction was carried out in low polar solvent. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis and photoreactions of polyesters containing triazene and cinnamylidene malonyl units

The synthesis and photoreactions of polyesters containing the photolabile triazene group (Ph NN NR₂) as well as photocrosslinkable units based on substituted cinnamylidene malonyl moieties are reported. The polyesters were obtained by reacting a triazene containing difunctional alcohol with different substituted cinnamylidene malonic acid dichlorides. Irradiation at λ > 395 nm enables selective photocrosslinking of the cinnamylidene malonyl ester units via [2+2]π‐cycloaddition without affecting the triazene units. The photocrosslinking reaction of the triazene containing polyesters as well as triazene‐free reference polyesters were investigated by UV and IR spectroscopy. After selective photocrosslinking the irradiated polymers became insoluble and no longer exhibited a T_g below decomposition temperature. The crosslinked triazene containing polyesters show strong absorption at λ = 308 nm and are therefore interesting candidates for applications using XeCl excimer laser ablation. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 1903–1910, 2000