Intramolecular excimer formation in macromolecules. I. Energy migration and excimer formation in copolymers exhibiting nearest-neighbor excimer interactions

Energy migration and intramolecular excimer formation have been studied in a series of copolymers comprising 1-vinylnaphthalene, 2-vinylnaphthalene, and styrene with methyl methacrylate. The technique of fluorescence depolarization was used to characterize energy migration in glassy solutions of the copolymers. The extent of energy migration in these copolymers is determined by the mean sequence length of aromatic species l?_a. Assuming that excimer formation occurs as a result of nearest-neighbor interactions, the concentration of excimer sites in the macromolecule will be proportional to the fraction of links between aromatic species f_aa. It is proposed that these sites are populated via energy migration from the site of absorption. Proportionality between the ratio of excimer to monomer emission intensities and the function l?_a·f_aa was predicted. Good agreement with this relationship was obtained in each of the copolymer systems studied. Reactivity ratios of methyl methacrylate (r_m) in copolymerization at 70°C with the aromatic monomers (r_a) were determined as: 1-vinylnaphthalene—r_m = 0.43, r_a = 1.71: 2-vinylnaphthalene—r_m = 0.37, r_a = 4.46; styrene-r_m = 0.45, r_a = 0.58.     

Energy migration in poly(N‐vinyl carbazole) and its copolymers with methyl methacrylate: Fluorescence polarization,quenching, and molecular dynamics

Fluorescence polarization and quenching measurements were used to examine intramolecular energy migration for poly(N‐vinyl carbazole) and copolymers of N‐vinyl carbazole with methyl methacrylate. Quenching measurements of the carbazole fluorescence by CCl₄ were performed in dilute solution in toluene, and fluorescence anisotropy, r, was measured for the chains dispersed in a solid matrix of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). The results suggested that the chains with a high carbazole content, that is, a high content of excimer trapping sites, do not show the highest values of the singlet energy‐migration rate. Isotropies, r^?1, of the samples in vitrified PMMA corroborated such conclusions. Molecular dynamics simulations on isotactic and syndiotactic trichromophoric copolymer fragments were used to obtain parameters related to the energy‐transfer process as a function of the methyl methacrylate content. The parameters from the simulations supported the interpretation of the experiments. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 1615–1626, 2003     

Intermolecular excimer formation in poly(2-naphthyl methacrylate) solutions

Efficient intermolecular excimer emission is observed for solutions of poly(2-naphthyl methacrylate) and copolymers of 2-naphthyl methacrylate and methyl methacrylate, only above a critical concentration. From analysis of the dependence of this concentration upon the polymer molecular weight and the thermodynamic character of the solvent, it is concluded that the results cannot be explained only in terms of an excluded volume effect, and that the different behaviour for dilute and concentrated regions is mainly a consequence of a change in the factors which control the rate of intermolecular excimer formation. The efficient excimer formation in the concentrated solutions is attributed to the contribution of migration of the excited energy to the formation of the excimeric pair.     

Transient decay studies of photophysical processes in aromatic polymers—III. Concentration dependence of excimer formation in copolymers of acenaphthylene and methyl methacrylate

The fluorescence behaviour of a series of acenaphthylene/methyl methacrylate copolymers covering a wide range of intramolecular chromophore compositions has been examined using pulsed laser excitation. The decay of emission intensity in the region of monomer fluorescence could be described only by the use of triple exponential functions. The data have been discussed in terms of the existence of two temporally distinct monomeric species in addition to an excimer.     

Sequence distribution and intramolecular excimer formation in styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers

Styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers, like many other copolymers containing styrene, exhibit both normal and excimer fluorescence. We have shown that the ratio of the excimer to monomer fluorescence intensities in random styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers is linearly dependent upon the concentration of styrene-styrene bonds in the copolymer. This observation is consistent with a photophysical model which allows the energy absorbed by styrene units to migrate freely along the copolymer chain. Some of the energy is emitted in the form of normal fluorescence; some of the energy, trapped by neighbouring styrene-styrene pairs suitably oriented to allow excimer formation, is emitted as excimer fluorescence. The fluorescence characteristics of acrylonitrile-styrene copolymers are contrasted with those of methyl methacrylate-styrene copolymers, in which the methylmethacrylate sequences are believed to present partial barriers to energy migration along the copolymer chains.     

Singlet energy migration and excimer formation in polymers of 2-tert-butyl-6-vinylnaphthalene

The homopolymer of 2-tert-butyl-6-vinylnaphthalene (BVN) and its copolymers with styrene were prepared to examine the effects of the bulky tert-butyl groups on singlet energy migration and excimer formation among the naphthalene chromophores. The intensity of naphthalene excimer emission relative to that of monomer emission was found to depend linearly on the concentration of the potential excimer forming site, i.e., the BVN dyad fraction of the polymer. The rate of fluorescence quenching by biacetyl, on the other hand, increased only slightly with the increase in the BVN content. These results are consistent with the slow energy hopping model and suggest that the neighboring naphthalene chromophores are virtually isolated from one another owing to the unfavorable interactions of the tert-butyl groups.     

Photophysics of vinyl aromatic polymers

The experimental approaches required to characterize energy migration and excimer formation in vinyl aromatic polymers are considered. As an example the photophysical processes occurring in poly(acenaphthylene) (PACE) and water soluble acenaphthylene copolymers have been investigated using steady state and time resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Excimer formation in these polymers is determined by both structural and dynamic factors. The difficulties in the application of fluorescence decay analyses to examine energy migration in polymers are discussed. For PACE with a 9-methylanthryl (9MA) end-group and the copolymers containing solubilized 9MA, energy migration and transfer can be demonstrated.     

Configurations conducive to the formation of intramolecular excimers in poly(N‐vinyl carbazole) and its copolymers

The ratios of the intensity of excimer and monomer emissions, denoted I_E/I_M, in poly(N‐vinyl carbazole) and copolymers of N‐vinyl carbazole and methyl methacrylate were measured with steady‐state fluorescence. Measurements were performed in dilute solutions of several fluid solvents at 25 °C and in a solid matrix of poly(methyl methacrylate) at room temperature. The values of I_E/I_M depended on the nature of the solvent, the emission wavelength, and the copolymer composition. Molecular dynamics simulations were performed for diastereoisomers of 2,4‐di(N‐carbazolyl)pentane and for isotactic and syndiotactic trichromophoric copolymer fragments to assist in the identification of the thermally accessible conformations capable of forming intramolecular excimers and the configurational relationship of the carbazole units in these complexes. Nearest neighbor carbazole groups made the dominant contribution to the excimers. Excimers were more likely in isotactic sequences than in syndiotactic sequences, as was also the case for the low‐energy excimer arising from the complete overlap of two carbazole units. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 39: 1272–1281, 2001     

New initiator system for the anionic polymerization of (meth)acrylates in toluene. IV. Random copolymerization of (meth)acrylates in toluene initiated by s-BuLi ligated by lithium silanolates

Copolymerization of binary mixtures of alkyl (meth)acrylates has been initiated in toluene by a mixed complex of lithium silanolate  (s-BuMe₂SiOLi) and s-BuLi (molar ratio > 21) formed in situ by reaction of s-BuLi with hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane (D₃). Fully acrylate and methacrylate copolymers, i.e., poly(methyl acrylate-co-n-butyl acrylate), poly(methyl methacrylate-co-ethyl methacrylate), poly(methyl methacrylate-co-n-butyl methacrylate), poly(methyl methacrylate-co-n-butyl methacrylate), poly(isobornyl methacrylate-co-n-butyl methacrylate), poly(isobornyl methacrylate-co-n-butyl methacrylate) of a rather narrow molecular weight distribution have been synthesized. However, copolymerization of alkyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate pairs has completely failed, leading to the selective formation of homopoly(acrylate). As result of the isotactic stereoregulation of the alkyl methacrylate polymerization by the s-BuLi/s-BuMe₂SiOLi initiator, highly isotactic random and block copolymers of (alkyl) methacrylates have been prepared and their thermal behavior analyzed. The structure of isotactic poly(ethyl methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate) copolymers has been analyzed in more detail by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 2525–2535, 1999     

Photoluminescence of biphenyl-containing polymers

Poly(4-vinylbiphenyl) and copolymers of methyl methacrylate and 4-vinylbiphenyl show both monomeric (λ_max = 325 nm) and excimer (λ_max = 380 nm) fluorescence. The quantum yield of excimer emission increases and the monomeric emission decreases with increase in the fraction of vinylbiphenyl units in the copolymer. The decrease of the monomeric emission is closely related to a decrease in singlet lifetime. These results are interpreted in terms of a kinetic controlled excimer formation. Comparison of the emission in the homo and copolymers with that of the dimeric model compound shows that excimer formation in the polymer strongly depends upon the possibility of energy migration along sequences of vinylbiphenyl units. This conclusion is considered as of particular relevance due to the change in geometry of the biphenyl unit upon excitation.     

Photophysics of carbazole-containing systems. 1. Dilute solution behavior of poly(N-vinyl carbazole) and N-vinyl carbazole/methyl acrylate copolymers

Steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence techniques have been used to study the photophysical behaviors of poly(N-vinyl carbazole), PNVCz and a series of N-vinyl carbazole-methyl acrylate (NVCz-co-MA) copolymers in dilute solution as a function of both NVCz composition and temperature. A kinetic scheme, intended to describe intramolecular excimer formation across the entire NVCz composition range, is proposed. In low aromatic content copolymers, two monomer species (unquenched and quenched monomer) and two excimer species (the sandwich-like excimer and a higher energy excimer) exist. The contribution from monomer emission to the overall fluorescence decreases with increasing NVCz content through increased excimer formation: this is likely to be consequent upon (1) an increase in the number of excimer forming sites, and (2) increasing efficiency of energy transfer from the excited monomers to the excimer forming sites. In the homopolymer, PNVCz, the only emission that can be observed on a nanosecond timescale is excimeric. This fluorescence appears to originate from three excimer species (the sandwich-like excimer, and two higher energy forms). For the homopolymer, the current observations are consistent with the model proposed by Vandendriessche and De Schryver [Polym. Photochem. 7 , 153 (1986)]. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35 : 963–978, 1997     

Effect of polymer polarity on the positronium formation

Positron annihilation lifetime spectra have been measured on styrene–methyl methacrylate, styrene–acrylonitrile, and styrene–butyl methacrylate copolymers. The results show that the longest lifetime τ₃ remains constant during extended PALS measurement in all experiment copolymers, and relative intensity I₃ decreases to a certain extent with measured time in weak polar copolymers and remain almost unchanged in strong polar copolymers as well as ST–BMA copolymers. The observed decrease in I₃ have been found to be unrelated to the microstructural change of copolymers, and, instead, to be more likely a result of the buildup of an electric field inside the copolymers during the prolonged PALS measurement. The field effect can result in the decrease of I₃ due to the increase in the positrons and electrons diffusing out of the spur, but the influence of the electric field on I₃ decrease with increasing the polarity of the copolymers and the softness of side groups of macromolecular chains in the copolymers. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 435–442, 2000     

Steric effects on excimer formation in isotactic and atactic polystyrene and poly(ar-methylstyrene)s in solution

Effects of tacticity and steric hindrance on excimer formation were investigated in isotactic and atactic polystyrene, poly(o-methylstyrene), poly(m-methylstyrene), and poly(p-methylstyrene) in the presence and absence of a quencher (CCl₄). The calculated rate constants for excimer formation in the isotactic polymers except for poly(o-methylstyrene) were almost the same and larger than those in the corresponding atactic polymers. These results indicate that excimer formation was due to not only rotational sampling but also energy migration to trapping sites. It was found that steric hindrance on excimer formation was intimately related to the excition diffusion length in the polymer chain.     

A reassessment of the 1H-NMR spectra of styrene/methyl methacrylate copolymers

The methoxy ¹H-NMR assignments in the 2.1–3.7δ region for styrene/methyl methacrylate copolymers have been assessed in terms of pentad sensitivity. Several of the methoxy resonances suggested by this study differ from literature assignments. The evidence in support of these reasignments is based on a comparison of calculated and observed triad distributions and on the good agreement of the value of the reactivity ratio r_M calculated from individual triads with that obtained by classical methods. A new procedure for the determination of the tacticity coefficient σ is applied.     

Intramolecular excimer formation in macromolecules—V. Head-to-head polystyrene,block copolymers of styrene and butadiene and regular condensation polymers of α-methylstyrene

Studies of the photophysical properties of head-to-head polystyrene, block copolymers poly(butadiene-b-styrene) and polystyrenes of various sequence length of styrene chromophore and regular copolymers of α-methylstyrene indicate that interactions between phenyl chromophores located distantly upon the macromolecule are not of major significance in determination of excimer formation in styrene polymers. It is concluded that intramolecular excimer formation in polystyrenes occurs primarily as a consequence of interactions between nearest neighbour chromophores in the polymer chain. The influence of polymer coil dimensions upon intramolecular excimer formation is demonstrated. The photophysical behaviour of poly(butadiene-b-styrene) block copolymers shows the importance of intramolecular energy migration in population of potential excimer sites.     

Copolymerizations of tetraethyl vinylidene phosphonate. Bisphosphonate units in the main polymer chain. II

This is the second part of the article with a subtitle “… The First Synthesis” published by us previously. For this, second part, we have chosen copolymers with low proportion of (‐b‐) units, as well as random copolymers with substantial proportions of (‐b‐) units. This is in contrast to the part I, in which we mostly described alternating copolymerization. In this article, radical copolymerization of tetraethyl vinylidene phosphonate (B) with several vinyl/ethylenic monomers (M₂), namely acrylamide, methacrylamide, methyl methacrylate, n‐butyl acrylate, n‐butyl methacrylate, and styrene has been described and reactivity ratios of monomers as well as the average length of the comonomer blocks (n) have been determined (r₁ = 0). It has been found, that (as it should be) there is a proportionality between r₂ (=k_m2M2/k_m2B) and n. Moreover, there is a proportionality between r₂ (or n) and the comonomer (M₂) “reactivity,” defined as the rate constant of M₂ addition to the styrene radical. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 1614–1621     

Penultimate effects in methyl methacrylate-4-vinyl pyridine copolymers

From the ¹H-NMR spectra of methyl methacrylate (M₁)-4-vinyl pyridine (M₂) radical copolymers with various monomer ratios, the reactivity ratios have been found using the penultimate model (r₁₁ = 1.51 r₂₁ = 0.10 r₂ = 0.24) and the co-isotactic alternating addition probability (σ = 0.5) as the best fit of the pentad distribution between the three parts of the methoxy signal.