γ-Ray-induced copolymerization of carbon monoxide with cyclic ethers

The γ-ray copolymerization of carbon monoxide with cyclic ethers, such as ethylene oxide, phenyl glycidyl ether, 1,3-dioxolane, 2-vinyl-1,3-dioxolane, terahydrofuran, 1,4-dioxane, and acetaldehyde was studied. A yellowish or brownish powdery copolymer was obtained in most of the cases examined. The infrared spectra showed that copolymers containing the ester structural unit were produced in the copolymerization with cyclic ethers which have no vinyl groups, and that a copolymer containing a ketone structure was produced from cyclic ether having vinyl group. It was found that the copolymer with ethylene oxide also had a β-propiolactone ring structure at the chain end or the side chain. The copolymers were confirmed to be partially crystalline from the x-ray diffraction diagrams. Further, a ring-opening polymerizability of the cyclic ether by γ-radiation was discussed. And it was found that as the bond dissociation energy between the carbon–oxygen linkage of the cyclic ether is small, the polymer yield both in the homopolymerization and copolymerization with carbon monoxide is high. A mechanism for the copolymerization is proposed on the basis of the results.     

Cationic polymerizations of substituted 2-methylene-1,3-dioxocyclic acetals, 2-methylene-1,3-dithiolane and copolymerization of 2-methylene-1,3-dithiolane with 4-(t-butyl)-2-methylene-1,3-dioxolane1

Carbon black-supported sulfuric acid or BF₃·Et₂O-initiated polymerizations of 2-methylene-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3-dioxolane (1), 2-methylene-4-phenyl-1,3-dioxolane (2), and 2-methylene-4-isopropyl-5,5-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane (3) were performed. 1,2-Vinyl addition homopolymers of 1–3 were produced using carbon black-supported H₂SO₄ initiation at temperatures from 0°C to 60°C whereas both ring-opened and 1,2-vinyl structural units were present in the polymers using BF₃·Et₂O as an initiator. Cationic polymerizations of 2-methylene-1,3-dithiolane (4) and copolymerization of 4 with 2-methylene-4-(t-butyl)-1,3-dioxolane (5) were initiated with either carbon black-sulfuric acid or BF₃·Et₂O. Insoluble 1,2-vinyl addition homopolymers of 4 were obtained upon initiation with the supported acid or BF₃·Et₂O. A soluble copolymer of 2-methylene-1,3-dithiolane (4) and 4-(t-butyl)-2-methylene-1,3-dioxolane (5) was obtained upon BF₃·Et₂O initiation. This copolymer is composed of three structural units: a ring-opened dithioester unit, a 1,2-vinyl-polymerized 1,3-dithiolane unit, and a 1,2-vinyl polymerized 4-(t-butyl)-1,3-dioxolane unit. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 2823–2840, 1999     

Free Radical Ring-Opening Polymerization of 4-n-Hexyl- and 4-n-Decyl-2-methylene-1,3-dioxolanes

Two alkyl-substituted cyclic ketene acetals, 4-n-hexyl-2-methylene-1,3-dioxolane (4) and 4-n-decyl-2-methylene-1,3-dioxolane (6), were shown to undergo free radical ring-opening polymerization with the introduction of an ester group into the backbone of an addition polymer. The spontaneous polymerization of 4 (presumable by an ionic mechanism) produced a polymer containing no ring-opened units; furthermore 4 and 6 could be stabilized with respect to spontaneous polymerization by the addition of small amounts of pyridine. On the other hand, the polymerization of 4 in a 50% (by weight) benzene solution at 110°C with di-tertbutyl peroxide as the catalyst gave quantitative ring opening to give a polyester containing both possible isomeric ring-opened units. Bulk polymerization of 4 at 60°C at 53% conversion gave 50% ring opening which was divided 31% to 19% between cleavage to give the intermediate secondary free radical and the intermediate primary radical. Copolymerization of 4 with equimolar quantities of styrene at 110°C gave at 56% conversion a copolymer consisting of 67% styrene units, 22% ester-containing units resulting from cleavage to form a secondary radical, 7% of the isomeric ester-containing units, and 4% nonring-opened units. Polymerization studies with monomer 6 gave results very similar to those obtained with 4.     

Polymers of 2-vinyl-1,3-dioxolanes

Lewis acid-initiated polymerizations of 2-vinyl-1,3-dioxolanes have been studied. Evidence is presented showing at least three types of structural units in the polymer. Polymerization is propagated by 1,2 addition, by acetal ring opening, and by rearrangement, ring opening mechanisms. Polymerization is accompanied by the formation of a dimer consisting of a 1,4-dioxepane and 1,3-dioxolane ring. Film formers from methacrylate esters of vinyl dioxolane compounds are also described.     

Vinyl Polymerization. 431. Vinyl Polymerizations Initiated by Block and Random Poly(Styrene-co-Sodium Methacrylate)

Abstract

The polymerization of some kinds of vinyl monomer was found to occur without an ordinary initiator in aqueous solutions of AB-type block or random copolymers of sodium methacrylate with styrene as a so-called “uncatalyzed polymerization.” Although the spin trapping technique showed that the initiation mechanism by the block copolymer was the same as that by the random copolymer, the initiating ability of the block copolymer was lower than that of the random copolymer. Such results are attributable to the difference in the incorporating ability of monomer into the micelles formed by the block copolymer and into the hydrophobic areas formed by the random copolymer.     

Radiation-induced postpolymerization of trioxane in the solid state. V. Studies on copolymer composition

Studies on the composition of copolymers obtained by the radiation-induced solid-state postpolymerization of trioxane with 1,3-dioxolane have been carried out. Gas-chromatographic analysis of the reaction mixtures showed that most of the 1,3-dioxolane disappears rapidly from the reaction system in an early stage of polymerization, and that the fraction of ethylene oxide units in the copolymer chain [E] decreases markedly with increasing polymer yield. This finding was confirmed by NMR spectra of the copolymer. DSC thermograms of the copolymer indicated that the relationship between the melting point and the average composition of copolymers prepared in this study differed from that found for copolymers in which comonomer units are distributed statistically in the polymer chain. It was suggested that the copolymer formed by the radiation-induced solid-state postpolymerization of trioxane–1,3-dioxolane is characterized by a heterogeneous distribution of ethylene oxide units in the copolymer chain. It was also found that, in the radiation-induced solid-state postpolymerization of trioxane–1,3-dioxolane, the amount of tetraoxane formation increased linearly with increasing polymer yield. Although it is extremely small compared with that obtained in solution polymerization, it is slightly larger in the trioxane–1,3-dioxolane system than in the trioxane system.     

Preparation and radical ring-opening polymerization of 2-substituted-4-methylene-1,3-dioxolanes

2-Methyl-2-phenyl-4-methylene-1,3-dioxolane ( IIa ), 2-ethyl-2-phenyl-4-methylene-1,3-dioxolane ( IIb ), 2-phenyl-2-(n-propyl)-4-methylene-1,3-dioxolane ( IIc ), 2-phenyl-2-(i-propyl)-4-methylene-1,3-dioxolane ( IId ), 2-(n-heptyl)-2-phenyl-4-methylene-1,3-dioxolane ( IIe ), 2-methyl-2-(2-naphthyl)-4-methylene-1,3-dioxolane ( IIf ), and 2,2-diphenyl-4-methylene-1,3-dioxolane ( IIg ) were prepared and polymerized in the presence of a radical initiator. IIa–IIf were found to undergo vinyl polymerization with ring-opening reaction accompanying the elimination of ketone groups in bulk. IIg was found to undergo the quantitative ring-opening reaction accompanying the elimination of benzophenone in solution to obtain polyketone without any side reaction.     

Synthesis of poly-ϵ-caprolactone via a free radical mechanism. Free radical ring-opening polymerization of 2-methylene-1,3-dioxepane

2-Methylene-1,3-dioxepane 6 polymerized with a quantitative ring opening to form poly-?-caprolactone via a free radical mechanism. On the other hand, 2-methylene-1,3-dioxolane (ethylene ketene acetal) 4 and 2-methylene-1,3-dioxane 5, under the same conditions, generated polymers with mixed ring-opened and nonring-opened structures. In copolymerization monomer 6 also showed a high tendency toward ring opening by which the ester functionality could be conveniently introduced into the backbone of the addition polymers.     

Isomerization polymerization of 2-vinyl-1,3-dioxolane by α,α′-azobisisobutyronitrile or by γ-ray irradiation

2-Vinyl-1,3-dioxolane was polymerized by use of α,α′-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) or by γ-ray irradiation. The polymer obtained was white amorphous powder which melted at ca. 70°C. and was soluble in chloroform, acetone, and p-dioxane. The infrared spectrum of the polymer indicated peaks at 1735 cm.^?1 characteristic of the carbonyl group, and at 1200–1000 cm.^?1 characteristic of the acetal group, while no absorption at 990 and 3100 cm.^?1 due to the vinyl group was observed. The spectra of the polymers obtained by AIBN and by γ-ray irradiation were essentially identical. The saponified product of the polymer was white powder and its reduced viscosity was a little larger than that of the original polymer. These results indicate that the polymer has no ester unit in the main chain. The results of gas chromatographic analysis of the saponified product of the polymer, indicate the presence of a small amount of ethyl alcohol. The results of the saponification showed that the ester content in the polymer varied from 7 to 25% depending upon the polymerization temperature. These results indicate that 2-vinyl-1,3-dioxolane polymerized by AIBN or by γ-irradiation with two modes of vinyl and hydrogen migration, yielding a copolymer having the unit structures      

Copolymers of 7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1] heptane with 1,3-dioxane and promesogenic telechelic oligomers thereof

Copolymers of 7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1] heptane (B) (and of its 2-methyl derivatives) with 1,3-dioxane (D) were obtained by cationic copolymerization initiated with benzoylium hexafluoroantimonate. Structure of copolymers was determined by ₁H- and ₁₃C-NMR. The proportion of the acetal bonds in copolymers was additionally confirmed in studies of the products of hydrolysis (only the acetal bonds hydrolyze). D is unable to homopolymerize for the thermodynamic reasons and therefore mostly pseudoperiodic copolymers (-DB_x-)_y are formed. Nevertheless, the reshuffling reactions are responsible for the appearance of “wrong” units. These are: the separate oxymethylene and oxy-1,3-propylene units (P, subunits of D) located between two B units. Only the acetal bonds are cleaved in the acidic hydrolysis with dilute HCl. This gives the promesogenic telechelic oligomers of mostly HO-P-B_x-OH structure. This article is the first to describe successful cationic copolymerization of a cyclic acetal with a cyclic ether. Moreover, the inability of D to homopolymerize gives the thermodynamic basis of the pseudoperiodic copolymer formation. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 1733–1742, 1997     

Copolymerization of 1-Vinyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindole with Vinyl Chloride in the Presence of a Radical Initiator

Copolymerization of 1-vinyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindole with vinyl chloride in the presence of azobis(isobutyronitrile) occurs as a two-step process. The copolymer is initially formed by the radical mechanism. Then, the eliminated hydrogen chloride initiates cationic oligomerization of 1-vinyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindole, enriching the copolymer with units of this monomer.     

Synthesis of 1-Bromo-3-butyn-2-one and 1,3-Dibromo-3-buten-2-one

Synthetic procedures for the preparation of 1-bromo-3-butyn-2-one and 1,3-dibromo-3-buten-2-one are given. These compounds are prepared from 2-bromomethyl-2-vinyl-1,3-dioxolane, which can readily be prepared from 2-ethyl- 2-methyl-1,3-dioxolane. The synthetic routes are as follows: 2-bromomethyl-2-vinyl-1,3-dioxolane is converted to 2-(1,2-dibromoethyl)-2-bromomethyl-1,3-dioxolane. Double dehydrobromination with ^tBuOK affords 2-ethynyl-2-bromomethyl-1,3-dioxolane. Formolysis with formic acid gives 1-bromo-3-butyn-2-one. Deacetalized 2-bromoethyl-2-vinyl-1,3-dioxolane was treated with Br₂ and Li₂CO₃/12-crown-4 in tetrahydrofuran to give 1,3-dibrom-3-buten-2-one in moderate yield.     

Copolymerization of vinyl chloride with 1-vinyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindole and 2-methyl-5-vinylpyridine

The radical copolymerization of vinyl chloride with 2-methyl-5-vinylpyridine and 1-vinyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindole is accompanied by dehydrochlorination. In the vinyl chloride-2-methyl-5-vinylpyridine system, the evolved hydrogen chloride interacts with a pyridine hydrogen atom to give charged units of a heterocycle. In the vinyl chloride-1-vinyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindole system, the hydrogen chloride being formed initiates the cationic dimerization of a nitrogen-containing monomer. The synthesized copolymers based on vinyl chloride surpass the commercial poly(vinyl chloride) in terms of thermal stability and solubility in organic solvents.     

Novel photoinitiated cationic copolymerizations of 4-methylene-2-phenyl-1,3-dioxolane

Photoinitiated polymerization of 4-methylene-2-phenyl-1,3-dioxolane ( 1 ) was carried out using either tris (4-methylphenyl) sulfonium hexafluoroantimonate or 4-decyloxyphenyl phenyliodonium hexafluoroantimonate as initiators. ¹H-NMR analyses confirmed exclusive ring-opening while DSC and SEC were used to determine the glass transition temperatures (T_gs) and molecular weights, respectively. Photoinitiated cationic copolymerizations of 1 were investigated with several acyclic and cyclic monomers. Copolymerization of 1 with vinyl ethers and a spiroorthoester resulted in copolymers whose thermal properties were dependent on comonomer ratios. Copolymers of 1 and dihydrofuran or dihydropyran afforded soluble polymers with T_gs significantly higher than the homopolymer of 1 . © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 2207–2219, 1997     

Oxidation of 1,3-Dioxacyclanes with Oxone and Potassium Persulfate Catalyzed by 2,2,5,5-Tetramethyl-4-Phenyl-3-Imidazoline-3-Oxide-1-Oxyl

The catalytic effect of 2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-4-phenyl-3-imidazoline-3-oxide-1-oxyl on the oxidation of 2-isopropyl-1,3-dioxolane, 2-phenyl-1,3-dioxolane, 2-phenyl-4-chlormethyl-1,3-dioxolane, 2-isopropyl-1,3-dioxane, 2-isopropyl-4-methyl-1,3-dioxane, 2-phenyl-1,3-dioxane, 2-phenyl-4-methyl-1,3-dioxane with oxone and potassium persulfate is reported. The corresponding glycol monoesters were obtained with yields of 90-100%.     

Cationic ring-opening polymerizations of cyclic ketene acetals initiated by acids at high temperatures

Three unsubstituted cyclic ketene acetals (CKAs), 2-methylene-1,3-dioxolane, 1a , 2-methylene-1,3-dioxane, 2a , and 2-methylene-1,3-dioxepane, 3a , undergo exclusive 1,2-addition polymerization at low temperatures, and only poly(CKAs) are obtained. At higher temperatures, ring-opening polymerization (ROP) can be dominant, and polymers with a mixture of ester units and cyclic ketal units are obtained. When the temperature is raised closer to the ceiling temperature (T_c) of the 1,2-addition propagation reaction, 1,2-addition polymerization becomes reversible and ring-opened units are introduced to the polymer. The ceiling temperature of 1,2-addition polymerization varies with the ring size of the CKAs (lowest for 3a , highest for 2a ). At temperatures below 138°C, 2-methylene-1,3-dioxane, 2a , underwent 1,2-addition polymerization. Insoluble poly(2-methylene-1,3-dioxane) 100% 1,2-addition was obtained. At above 150°C, a soluble polymer was obtained containing a mixture of ring-opened ester units and 1,2-addition cyclic ketal units. 2-Methylene-1,3-dioxolane, 1a , polymerized only by the 1,2-addition route at temperatures below 30°C. At 67–80°C, an insoluble polymer was obtained, which contained mostly 1,2-addition units but small amounts of ester units were detected. At 133°C, a soluble polymer was obtained containing a substantial fraction of ring-opened ester units together with 1,2-addition cyclic ketal units. 2-Methylene-1,3-dioxepane, 3a , underwent partial ROP even at 20°C to give a soluble polymer containing ring-opened ester units and 1,2-addition cyclic ketal units. At −20°C, 3a gave an insoluble polymer with 1,2-addition units exclusively. Several catalysts were able to initiate the ROP of 1a, 2a , and 3a , including RuCl₂(PPh₃)₃, BF₃, TiCl₄, H₂SO₄, H₂SO₄ supported on carbon, (CH₃)₂CHCOOH, and CH₃COOH. The initiation by Lewis acids or protonic acids probably occurs through an initial protonation. The propagation step of the ROP proceeds via an S_N2 mechanism. The chain transfer and termination rates become faster at high temperatures, and this may be the primary reason for the low molecular weights (M_n ≤ 10³) observed for all ring-opening polymers. The effects of temperature, monomer and initiator concentration, water content, and polymerization time on the polymer structure have been investigated during the Ru(PPh₃)₃Cl₂-initiated polymerization of 2a . High monomer concentrations ([M]/[ln]) increase the molecular weight and decreased the amount of ring-opening. Higher initiator concentrations (Ru(PPh₃)₃Cl₂) and longer reaction times increase molecular weight in high temperature reactions. Successful copolymerization of 2a with hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane was initiated by BF₃OEt₂. The copolymer obtained displayed a broad molecular weight distribution; M̄_n = 6,490, M̄_w = 15,100, M̄_z = 44,900. This polymer had about 47 mol % of ( Me₂SiO ) units, 35 mol % of ring-opened units, and 18 mol % 1,2-addition units of 2a . © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 3655–3671, 1997     

Synthesis of Functionally-Terminated Oligomers by Free Radical Ring-Opening Polymerization

Since free radical ring-opening polymerization made it possible to introduce functional groups, such as esters, carbonates, thioesters, and amides, into the backbone of an addition polymer, it was reasoned that simple hydrolysis of these copolymers would produce the desired oligomers that could be terminated with various combinations of hydroxyl, amino, thiol, and carboxy1 groups. Thus the copolymerization of 2-methylene-1,3-dioxepane and styrene (r1=0.021 and r2=22.6) gave a copolymer containing 10 mole-percent of an ester-containing unit with 100% ring opening at 120°C. Hydrolysis of this copolymer gave an oligomer terminated with a hydroxyl group and a carboxylie acid group. Similarly the copolymerization of 2-methylene-1,3-dioxepane and ethylene gave a series of biodegradable polyethylene copolymers containing 2.1 to 10.4% ester-containing units. Hydrolysis of these copolymers gave a series of ethylene oligomers with nine to forty-seven ethylene units and terminated with a hydroxyl group and a carboxylic acid group. By the same general method oligomers of various monomers that are terminated with a methylandno group and a carboxylic acid group from N-methyl-Z-methylene-1,3-oxazolidine and with a thiol group and a carboxyl group from Z-methylene-1,3-oxathiolane.     

Cyclic Acetal-Photosensitized Polymerization. XI. Photoirradiations onto Polycyclic Acetals

Photoirradiations onto polycyclic acetals, i. e., polymers containing cyclic acetal groups in the molecule, were carried out at 30 or 40°C. The terpolymer of vinyl formal/vinyl acetate/vinyl alcohol (PVFAcA) was decomposed by means of irradiation, while poly-2-vinyl-1,3-dioxolane (PVDO) and poly-2-vinyl-4-hydroxy-methyl-1,3-dioxolane (PVHDO) were crosslinked. These results indicate the possibility of control of the decomposition or the crosslinking of polymer.     

3-Tetrahydrofurfuryloxy-2-Hydroxypropyl Methacrylate: Synthesis,Characterization, Homopolymerization,and Copolymerization

Abstract

3-Tetrahydrofurfuryloxy-2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate monomer was prepared from methacrylic acid, tetrahydrofurfuryl alchol, and epichlorhydrin. Homopolymerization and copolymerization with (2-phenyl-1,3-dioxolane-4-yl)methyl methacrylate and N-vinyl pyrrolidone monomers were carried out in 1,4-dioxane solution at 60°C using benzoyl peroxide as initiator. Infrared, proton and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance techniques were used in characterizations of the monomer, the homopolymer and the copolymers were determined by DSC technique. The copolymer compositions were estimated from 1H-NMR spectra. The reactivity ratios in copolymerization of 3-tetrahydrofurfuryloxy-2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate and (2-phenyl-1,3-dioxolane-4-yl) methyl methacrylate were calculated by both Kelen-Tüdos and Fineman-Ross methods.     

γ-Ray-induced terpolymerization of carbon monoxide,aziridines, and cyclic ethers

The terpolymerization of carbon monoxide, aziridines, and cyclic ethers was carried out by γ-irradiation. A partially crystalline solid copolymer was obtained. The infrared spectrum of the copolymer obtained indicated characteristic peaks due to the secondary amide and ester groups. The results of elementry analysis, infrared spectra, and x-ray diffraction of the copolymer showed that terpolymerization of carbon monoxide, aziridine, and cyclic ether took place by γ-irradiation. 2-Vinyl-1,3-dioxolane was polymerized in the system of carbon monoxide and ethylenimine to give a solid polymer. The infrared spectrum showed characteristics of the secondary amide and dioxolane ring, while no absorption due to carbonyl group of ester was observed. The infrared spectra and results of elementary analysis confirmed that the terpolymerization of carbon monoxide–ethylenimine–2-vinyl-1,3-dioxolane occurred.