Radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate in the presence of isotactic poly(methyl methacrylate)

Methyl methacrylate (MMA) was polymerized by radical initiation at 25°C in DMF in the presence of preformed isotactic PMMA (iMA) with about 90% isotactic triads and different M?_v's, viz., iMA-1: 7.2 × 10⁵; iMA-2, 5.0 × 10⁵; iMA-3, 3.5 × 10⁵; iMA-4, 1.25 × 10⁵; and iMA-5, 1.15 × 10⁵. The MMA:iMA ratio was 6:1. The collected polymers were separated into two fractions by extraction with boiling acetone and characterized by 60 MHz NMR. It is found that the M?_v of the polymer formed ran parallel to the M?_v of iMA. In all cases syndiotactic PMMA (s-PMMA) was produced which associated with the isotactic substrate to form acetone-insoluble stereocomplexes. The syndiotactic polymers probably consist of long syndiotactic and heterotactic sequences. The syndiotacticity decreased with conversion and was generally highest in the presence of iMA-1. With iMA-1 even the formation of some additional i-PMMA (in the acetone-insolubles) was indicated, especially in the later stages of the polymerization. Characterization of the acetone-soluble fractions indicated that i,s-stereoblock polymers were also produced, of which the persistence ratios ρ increased with the M?_v of iMA. From these results it is concluded that this reaction differs from the conventional radical polymerization and can be considered a stereospecific replica polymerization, the driving force being the strong tendency of i- and s-PMMA to associate. The formation of i,s-stereoblock polymers and additional i-PMMA indicates that s-PMMA in its turn can also act as a polymer matrix.     

Radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate in the presence of stereoregular poly(methyl methacrylate). II. Syndiotactic PMMA as matrix

Methyl methacrylate (MMA) was polymerized by radical initiation at 25°C in DMF in the presence of preformed syndiotactic PMMA (sMA) with about 90% syndiotactic triads and of different M?_v, viz., sMA-1, 1.6 × 10⁵; sMA-2, 3.0 × 10⁵; and sMA-3, 8.7 × 10⁵. The MMA:sMA ratio was 6:1. The collected polymers were separated into two fractions by extraction with boiling acetone and characterized by 60 MHz NMR. In all cases isotactic PMMA (i-PMMA) was produced, especially in the initial reaction stages, which associated with the syndiotactic substrate to form acetone-insoluble 1:2 i/s-stereocomplexes. The isotacticity decreased with conversion and was highest in the presence of sMA-3. Characterization of the acetone-soluble fractions indicated that i,s-stereoblock polymers were also produced. From these results it is concluded that this reaction can be considered a stereospecific replica polymerization, the driving force being the strong tendency of i-PMMA and s-PMMA to associate. With sMA of M?_v below about 1.2 × 10⁵, no i-PMMA is formed; in other words, no replica polymerization occurs. For polymerizations in the presence of sMA-2, the critical M?_v of propagating chains, with has to be exceeded before stereoassociation is strong enough to effectuate replica polymerization, has been estimated to be 0.6 × 10⁵.     

Solid matrix polymerization and stereoisomeric complexes of poly(methyl methacrylate)

The polymerization of methyl methacrylate within solid matrices of stereoregular poly(methyl methacrylate) has been studied by proton NMR and wide angle X-ray diffraction. The semi-crystalline isotactic (i-) PMMA matrix was synthesized in the laboratory by anionic polymerization initiated by phenylmagnesium bromide, and the syndiotactic (s-) PMMA matrix was synthesized through a Ziegler–Natta reaction. Matrix polymerization of the monomer was initiated through the redox activation of benzoyl peroxide with N,N-dimethyl-p-toluidine. NMR measurements of triad distributions in matrix-polymerized chains suggest that the well-known stereospecific replica polymerization in PMMA (syndiotactic sequences promote isotactic sequences and vice versa) plays only a limited role in the systems studied. Experimental results indicate that chains grown within the i-PMMA or s-PMMA solid matrices have greater degrees of configurational disorder. The greater concentration of atactic triads in these chains could be the result of limited free volume or steric effects during polymerization in a highly condensed environment. X-ray diffraction studies of solution cast blends of isotactic PMMA and PMMA with conventional tacticity reveal some crystallinity with a structure characteristic of the stereocomplex formed by isotactic and syndiotactic PMMA from suitable solvents. Evidence was obtained for the presence of this complex in solidified mixtures of the i-PMMA solid matrix and liquid monomer. This observation is an example of special intermolecular structures that can form under conditions of in situ growth of chains within a pre-polymerized matrix.     

Stereospecific bulk polymerization of methyl methacrylate initiated by its tactic polymers

Methyl methacrylate (MMA) was polymerized by radical initiation at 90°C by its own preformed tactic polymers, i.e., conventional (c-PMMA), isotactic (i-PMMA), and syndiotactic (s-PMMA) PMMA, and also by a preformed 1:1 stereocomplex of i-PMMA and s-PMMA. The collected polymers were separated into two fractions by extraction with boiling acetone and characterized by 60 MHz NMR spectra and viscometry. Higher polymerization rates were obtained in the presence of stereo-regular PMMA than in the presence of c-PMMA. Moreover, it appeared that i-PMMA promoted the formation of s-PMMA, and conversely s-PMMA the formation of i-PMMA, especially in the initial stages of the reaction. A higher M?_v of the preformed polymer yielded a higher rate and a higher stereospecificity of the polymerization. No polymerization took place in the absence of performed PMMA. The results support a replica mechanism proposed by Szwarc, in which polymerization is preceded by a specific arrangement of monomeric units along the polymeric chain into a distinctive pattern. Such arrangement coupled with a strong tendency of the isotactic and syndiotactic species to associate may lead to the present stereospecific replica polymerization. This association is demonstrated by rapid gelation during polymerization and by lowering of reduced viscosity in very dilute mixtures of i-PMMA and s-PMMA in MMA.     

Radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate in the presence of stereoregular poly(methyl methacrylate). V. Kinetics of initial template polymerization

The influence of stereoregular poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as a polymer matrix on the initial rate of radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) has been measured between ?11 and +60°C using a dilatometric technique. Under proper conditions an increase in the relative initial rate of template polymerization with respect to a blank polymerization was observed. Viscometric studies showed that the observed effect could be related to the extent of complex formation between the polymer matrix and the growing chain radical. The initial rate was dependent on tacticity and molecular weight of the matrix polymer, solvent type and polymerization temperature. The accelerating effect was most pronounced (a fivefold increase in rate) at the lowest polymerization temperature with the highest molecular weight isotactic PMMA as a matrix in a solvent like dimethylformamide (DMF), which is known to be a good medium for complex formation between isotactic and syndiotactic PMMA. The acceleration of the polymerization below 25°C appeared to be accompanied by a large decrease in the overall energy and entropy of activation. It is suggested that the observed template effects are mainly due to the stereoselection in the propagation step (lower activation entropy Δ S_p^?) and the hindrance of segmental diffusion in the termination step (higher activation energy Δ E_t^?) of complexed growing chain radicals.     

Radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate in the presence of stereoregular poly(methyl methacrylate). IV. Influence of solvent type

Methyl methacrylate (MMA) was polymerized by radical initiation at 25°C or 35°C in various solvents in the presence of stereoregular poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). The occurrence of stereospecific replica polymerization appeared to be related to the capability of stereoassociation of isotactic and syndiotactic PMMA. The solvents can be roughly divided into three types. Type A solvents are polar solvents, which promote stereoassociation resulting in gelation and precipitation. Examples are dimethylformamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, and acetone. Type B solvents are nonpolar aromatic solvents like benzene and toluene, wherein stereoassociation is weaker but still leads to gelation. Type C solvents are very good solvents, in which stereoassociation does not occur. Chloroform and dichloromethane belong to this class. In solvents of type A as well as type B, polymerization in the presence of i-PMMA as a polymer matrix was syndiospecific. However, in the presence of s-PMMA as a polymer matrix the polymerization was isospecific only in type A solvents. The syndiotactic or isotactic triad contents of the polymer formed could be as high as ca. 90% at low conversions. In solvents of type C, polymerization in the presence of stereoregular PMMA proceeds according to a normal radical mechanism. Syndiotacticity was always less than 70%. Stereocomplexes formed in situ during replica polymerization were partly crystalline as detected by x-ray diffraction. The highest crystallinity was detected in those formed in type A solvents.     

Association of stereoregular poly(methyl methacrylates) in dilute solution. Proton NMR study

By measurement of integrated intensities of high-resolution proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) bands, associated structures of isotactic (i) and syndiotactic (s) poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) in dilute toluene-d₈ and dimethylformamide-d₇ solutions were detected and characterized. In 1% (w/v) solutions of highly stereoregular s-PMMA in toluene-d₈ at 27°C, 76% of the monomer units are present in the form of compact aggregates. Consequences of this finding for the polymerization of methyl methacrylate in toluene in the presence of s-PMMA are discussed.     

Radical polymerizations and copolymerizations of dimethylstannyl dimethacrylate and trimethylstannyl methacrylate

The radical polymerizations and copolymerizations of dimethylstannyl dimethacrylate (DSM) and trimethylstannyl methacrylate (TSM) in dimethylformamide (DMF) were studied. These monomers did not polymerize thermally, but easily underwent polymerization in the presence of α,α′-azobisisobutyronitrile and on irradiation with ultraviolet light. The polymer obtained from TSM was soluble in DMF and methanol, but that from DSM was insoluble in any organic solvents; this polymer probably consists of a network structure. These polymers were converted to poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) by means of acid hydrolysis and then methylation with diazomethane. The content of syndiotactic triad was determined from infrared spectra of PMMA derived from the polymers of DSM and TSM. It was noted that the content of syndiotactic triad was greater in the radical polymerization of TSM than those of DSM at every temperature investigated. The differences in the activation enthalpy (ΔΔH?) and in the activation entropy (ΔΔS?) between isotactic and syndiotactic additions were determined as follows: for DSM, ΔΔH? = ～0 cal/mole, ΔΔS? = ?0.856 eu; for TSM, ΔΔH? = 229 cal/mole, ΔΔ = ?1.09 eu. From the radical copolymerizations of DSM and TSM with styrene at 60°C, the copolymerization parameters, Q and e, were evaluated as follows: for DSM, Q = 1.36, e = 0.41; for TSM, Q = 0.45, e = ?0.37. These results were compared with the reported effects of stannic chloride and zinc chloride on the radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate.     

Polymerization of monolayers. V. Tacticity of the insertion poly(methyl methacrylate)

Insertion poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) formed within a monolayer of monomer adsorbed on montmorillonite was studied by means of NMR spectroscopy and shown to be composed of short stereosequences with a predominant isotactic component. The stereospecificity of the insertion PMMA can be understood in terms of the organization of the monomer adsorbed on the surface of the mineral. The monolayer of monomer is assumed to be composed of monads and isotactic diads due to dipole-ion interactions between the molecules of methyl methacrylate and exchangeable cations. Results of experiments relating factors such as temperature, density of ion population of the surface, and the nature of ions are discussed. It is shown that the populations of isotactic and syndiotactic triads P_i and P_s determined experimentally in the insertion PMMA are in a reasonable agreement with values calculated from the model. It is shown, furthermore, that P_i increases with increase in the density of the ion population, in agreement with the equations derived from the model.     

NMR study of poly-p-isopropyl-α-methylstyrene

220 MHz NMR spectra of sample of poly-p-isopropyl-α-methylstyrene prepared through anionic (A) and cationic (B) polymerizations are studied. Peaks at τ values of 9.07, 9.41, and 9.71 are assigned to isotactic (i), heterotactic (h), and syndiotactic (s) α-methyl triads, respectively. From the α-methyl triads and the β-proton tetrads it is found that polymer A deviates little from Bernoullian statistics and that first-order Markov configurational statistics applies to polymer B. Isopropyl methine and methyl proton resonances are also analyzed in terms of the configurational statistics of the polymer. Resonances of the phenyl protons are assigned with increasing field to s, h, i meta and ortho protons.     

Polymerization of monolayers. VI. Influence of the nature of the exchangeable ion on the tacticity of insertion poly(methyl methacrylate)

The influence of the nature of exchangeable cations on the tacticity of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) prepared from montmorillonite–MMA adsorption complexes was investigated. The strength of ion-dipole interactions was estimated either by the value of the electrostatic interaction potential or by the value of the carbonyl-stretching frequency shift. It was shown that P_i, the percentage of isotactic triads in the polymer, increases with increasing strength of the ion-dipole interactions, while the persistence ratio and the mean length of closed isotactic (or syndiotactic) sequences remain essentially unchanged regardless of the nature of the cation. It was shown that values of P_i may vary from 0.15 for weakly interacting ions to 0.5 for strongly interacting ones, reaching at the upper limit the value calculated from the model proposed in a previous paper, thus confirming its validity.     

Stereospecific polymerization of 9-fluorenyl methacrylate: Tacticity effects on the thermal and photophysical properties of the polymers

Poly(9-fluoreneyl methacrylate) was obtained through anionic polymerization with t-BuLi and t-BuMgBr and through radical polymerization with α,α′-azobisisobutyronitrile. Anionic polymerization with t-BuLi in tetrahydrofuran and radical polymerization afforded syndiotactic polymers (rr ∼ 90%), whereas anionic polymerization with Li and Mg initiators in toluene and CH₂Cl₂ led to isotactic polymers. The thermal and photophysical properties of the polymers were examined. A syndiotactic polymer tended to show higher glass transition and decomposition temperatures than an isotactic polymer. However, polymers with different tacticities were not likely to assume specific, distinctive conformations such as a helix or a π-stacked conformation in solution. An isotactic polymer showed stronger interactions in a CH₂Cl₂ solution with 2,4,7-trinitro-9-fluorenylidenemalononitrile, an electron-acceptor molecule, than a syndiotactic polymer. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 4656–4665, 2004     

Synthesis of poly(methyl methacrylate) macromonomer

Anionic polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) was carried out in tetrahydrofuran (THF) or THF/toluene mixture at ?78°C initiated by triphenylmethyl sodium or lithium as initiators. Highly syndiotactic PMMA of low polydispersity (M _w/m _n = 1.11–1.17) could be prepared with triphenylmethyl lithium in THF or THF/toluene mixture at ? 78°C. Moreover, PMMA macromonomer having one vinylbenzyl group per polymer chain was prepared by the couplings of living PMMA initiated by triphenylmethyl lithium with p-chloromethyl styrene (CMS) at ?78°C. The coupling reaction of living PMMA initiated by triphenylmethyl sodium with CMS was scarcely occurred.     

Stereoregularity of poly(alkyl α-chloroacrylates) and mechanism of isotactic polymerization

The catalytic activity of the complexes prepared by the reaction of Grignard reagents with ketones, esters, and an epoxide as polymerization catalysts of methyl and ethyl α-chloroacrylates was investigated. The modifiers which gave isotactic polymers were α,β-unsaturated ketones such as benzalacetophenone, benzalacetone, dibenzalacetone, mesityl oxide, and methyl vinyl ketone, and α,β-unsaturated esters such as ethyl cinnamate, ethyl crotonate, and methyl acrylate. Catalysts with butyl ethyl ketone, propiophenone, and propylene oxide as modifiers produced atactic polymers but no isotactic polymers. It was revealed that the complex catalysts having a structure ? C?C? O? MgX (X is halogen) gave isotactic polymers. The mechanism of isotactic polymerization was discussed. In addition, for radical polymerization of ethyl α-chloroacrylate, enthalpy and entropy differences between isotactic and syndiotactic additions were calculated to give ΔH_i^* ? ΔH_s^* = 910 cal/mole and ΔS_i^* ? ΔS_s^* = 0.82 eu.     

Dielectric properties of stereoregular poly(methyl methacrylates)

To obtain more useful information about the effect of the degree of stereoregularity on the motion of the polymer chain, the dielectric and dilatometric measurements were made for a series of stereoregular poly(methyl methacrylates) (PMMA). The α- and β-absorptions were observed in each sample, of which the dielectric behaviors of the α-process are discussed. The temperature dependence of the relaxation time of the α-process was sufficiently represented by the WLF equation and the resulting values of the parameters f_g and B in the modified WLF equation were found smaller for isotactic-rich PMMA than those values for syndiotactic PMMA. It may be deduced from these results that the chain mobility of the isotactic PMMA is larger than that of the syndiotactic. The dielectric increment of the α-process in the isotactic PMMA is much larger than that in the syndiotactic PMMA, increasing rapidly with temperature, and taking its maximum in the temperature range of 55 to 60°C. The dielectric transition was clearly observed in the case of isotactic-rich PMMA.     

Stereoregularity of poly(isopropyl acrylate) and its racemization during hydrolysis

The diad tacticity of poly(isopropyl acrylate) was measured from the β-proton absorptions of poly(isopropyl acrylate-α,β-d₂) obtained with a 100 MHz NMR spectrometer, and temperature dependence of the tacticity of the polymers obtained by radical polymerization was determined. Enthalpy and entropy differences between isotactic and syndiotactic addition for poly(isopropyl acrylate) were calculated to give the following values: Δ(ΔS) = 0.7 eu; Δ(ΔH) = 0.51 kcal/mole. In the hydrolysis of poly(isopropyl acrylate-α,β-d₂), it was found that the rate of hydrolysis of poly(isopropyl acrylate) was dependent on the molecular weight rather than on the tacticity. As for the rate of racemization during hydrolysis, the rate for syndiotactic polymer was much faster than that for the isotactic polymer. The exchange reaction of deuterium at α-position with hydrogen occurred in all the polymers during hydrolysis reaction.     

Methacrylic acid and methyl methacrylate oligomers adsorbed to porous isotactic poly(methyl methacrylate) ultrathin films and mechanistic studies of living template polymerization

Methacrylic acid (MAA), methyl methacrylate (MMA), methacrylamide, and oligomers of MAA and MMA were selected as a model of active radical species in living template polymerization using stereocomplex formation. The adsorption behaviors of the aforementioned model compounds were examined toward porous isotactic‐(it‐) poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) ultrathin films on a quartz crystal microbalance, which was prepared by the extracting of syndiotactic‐(st‐) poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) from it‐PMMA/st‐PMAA stereocomplexes. The apparent predominant adsorption of oligomers to monomers was observed in both PMAA and PMMA oligomers, suggesting that the mechanism of template polymerization follows the pick up mechanism. Although vinyl monomers were not incorporated into the porous it‐PMMA ultrathin film, both PMMA and PMAA oligomers were adsorbed at the initial stages. However, adsorbed amounts were limited to about 5 and 15% at 0.1 mol L^?1, respectively, which are much smaller values than corresponding st‐polymers. The results imply that radical coupling reaction is prevented during template polymerization to support the resulting living polymerization. ATR‐IR spectral patterns of oligomer complexes and it‐PMMA slightly changed in both cases, suggesting complex formation. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 5879–5886, 2008     

Polymer-solvent interactions in thermoreversible gels of isotactic poly(methyl methacrylate) as studied by measurement of 1h NMR relaxation of the solvent

Dynamic structure and polymer-solvent interactions in solutions and gels of isotactic (i) poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) in butyl acetate (BAC) were characterized by measurements of nonselective and selective ¹H NMR spin-lattice relaxation times of the solvent. In thermoreversible gels, the existence of i-PMMA-BAC complex, where the life-time of the bound solvent is − 100 ms or shorter, was confirmed. Although the correlation time of the solvent bound in i-PMMA-BAC complex is 5-10 times longer than for the free solvent, there is still a relative motional freedom for complexed solvent molecules. The same behaviour observed recently for thermoreversible gels of syndiotactic PMMA indicates the same character of polymer-solvent complexes in gels of both stereoregular forms of PMMA.     

Study of ordered structures of syndiotactic poly(methyl methacrylate) in solution and in the solid state

From analysis of infrared spectra it was found that in syndiotactic (s) poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) in solution, long s sequences contain an increased population of diads with a skeletal conformation tt (in the staggered approximation). Self-aggregation of s-PMMA in solution leads to a further increase of the fraction of long s sequences in the extended chain conformation, and to an ordering of easter groups. When solid s-PMMA is isolated from a solution in which it exists in the aggregated state, these characteristics are preserved in the solid. The polymer appears partially crystalline by x-ray scattering, and it exhibits fibrillar morphology under the electron microscope. Ordered structures of s-PMMA melt at temperatures about 150°C, while the presence of residual solvent decreases the temperature of melting. Solid s-PMMA obtained from solutions in which aggregation of the polymer does not take place, like s-PMMA which did not come into contact with solvent, contains a higher proportion of syndiotactic diads with a skeletal conformation tg; these samples are amorphous and morphologically structureless. Analogies between the structure of ordered s-PMMA and the structure of the PMMA stereocomplex are also discussed.     

Stereocontrol in radical polymerization of acrylic monomers

A clear effect of Lewis acids, such. as scandium trifluoromethanesulfonate [Sc(OTf)₃], on stereocontrol during the radical polymerization of a designed monomer, benzyl α-(methoxymethyl)acrylate was found. This Lewis acid also influenced the stereochemistry in the radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate giving a less syndiotactic and more isotactic polymer, although many Lewis acids were not effective. A catalytic amount of Lewis acids, such as Y(OTf)₃ and Yb(OTf)₃, also significantly enhanced isotactic-specificity during the radical polymerization of acrylamide and its derivatives, N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) and N,N-dimethylacrylamide. Obvious solvent and temperature effects on tacticity were observed in these polymerizations, and poly(NIPAM) with >80% triad isotactic content has been obtained in the presence of Lewis acids.