Effect of solvent on the copolymerization of ethylene and vinyl acetate

The ethylene (M₁)–vinyl acetate (M₂) copolymerization at 62°C and 35 kg/cm² with α,α′-azo-bisisobutyronitrile as initiator has been studied in four different solvents, viz., tert-butyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, benzene, and N,N-dimethylformamide. The experimental method used was based on frequent measurement of the composition of the reaction mixture throughout the copolymerization reaction by means of quantitative gas chromatographic analysis. Highly accurate monomer reactivity ratios have been calculated by means of the curve-fitting I procedure. The observed dependence of the r values on the nature of the solvent is surprisingly large and can be correlated with the volume changes (= excess volumes) observed on mixing vinyl acetate (VAc) with the relevant solvent. An increased hydrogen bonding or dipole–dipole interaction through the carbonyl moiety of the acetate side group of VAc, induces a decreased electron density on the vinyl group of VAc, which in turn leads to a decreased VAc reactivity. The differences among the overall rates of copolymerization in the various solvents can be interpreted in terms of a variable chain transfer to solvent and the rate of the subsequent reinitiation by the solvent radical. In the case of benzene, complex formation is believed to play an important part.     

Sulfur-Containing Vinyl Monomers. XV. Kinetic Study of Radical Polymerization of Vinyl Mercaptobenzothiazole and Its Copolymerization

A kinetic study of radical polymerization of vinyl mercaptobenzothiazole (VMBT) with α,α′-azobisisobutyonitrile (AIBN) at 60°C was carried out. The rate of polymerization (R_p) was found to be expressed by the rate equation: R_p = k[AIBN]^0.5 [VMBT]^1.0, indicating that the polymerization of this monomer proceeds via an ordinary radical mechanism. The apparent activation energy for overall polymerization was calculated to be 20.9 kcal/mole. Moreover, this monomer was copolymerized with methyl methacrylate, acrylonitrile, vinyl acetate, phenyl vinyl sulfide, maleic anhydride, and fumaronitrile at 60°C. From the results obtained, the copolymerization parameters were determined and discussed.     

60Co-initiated copolymerization of styrene with vinyl acetate

The kinetic behavior of the ⁶⁰Co-initiated copolymerization at 25°C of styrene with vinyl acetate at 1100 and 2000 rad/hr was studied. As in the case of thermal and photochemical copolymerizations of these monomers, the growing chains are particularly rich in styrene units, and the overall rate is affected by a diluent effect due to the vinyl acetate monomer. However, in the case of the radiation copolymerization, this effect is partially counterbalanced by an increase of the initiation rate with the vinyl acetate concentration; the polymerization rate curve shows a maximum at a vinyl acetate molar fraction of 0.25. This effect is due to the very different free radical yields of these two monomers. The experimental results may be understood on the basis of a kinetic scheme which involves an energy transfer process from the excited vinyl acetate molecules to the styrene monomer and a termination reaction of the growing chains by very short styrene radicals when the mixture is rich in vinyl acetate.     

Vinyl polymerization. 413. Polymerization of vinyl monomer initiated by poly(vinylbenzyltrimethyl)-ammonium chloride

The polymerization of vinyl monomer initiated by an aqueous solution of poly(vinylbenzyltrimethyl)ammonium chloride (Q-PVBACI) was carried out at 85°C. Styrene, p-chlorostyrene, methyl methacrylate, and i-butyl methacrylate were polymerized, whereas acrylonitrile and vinyl acetate were not. The effects of the amounts of vinyl monomer, Q-PVBACI, and water on the conversion of vinyl monomer were studied. The overall activation energy in the polymerization of styrene was estimated as 79.1 kJ mol^?1. The polymerization proceeded through a radical mechanism. The selectivity of vinyl monomer was discussed by “a concept of hard and soft hydrophobic areas and monomers.”     

Copolymerization of ethylene with a homologous series of vinyl esters

The effect of the alkyl group on the relative reactivity of a homologous series of vinyl esters (2) has been studied with ethylene (1) as reference monomer, tert-butyl alcohol as solvent, at 62°C and 35 kg/cm². The experimental method was based on frequent measurement of the monomer feed composition throughout the copolymerization reaction by means of quantitative gas-chromatographic analysis. Highly accurate monomer reactivity ratios were estimated in a statistically justified manner by a nonlinear least-squares method applied to the integrated copolymer equation. The reactivity of the vinyl ester monomers towards an ethylene radical increased with decreasing electron-with-drawing ability of the ester group. All vinyl ester radicals considered turned out to have the same preference for their own monomer over ethylene (constant r₂ = 1.50). Reactivity ratios are discussed in terms of the Q–e scheme and the Taft relation. It appeared that chiefly polar factors contribute to the observed relative reactivity, while probably resonance stabilization only plays a minor part. Steric hindrance seems to impair monomer reactivity, only from vinyl pivalate on. Relative reactivities of the vinyl esters are compared with literature values, where other reference monomers have been used.     

Effect of pressure on free radical copolymerization kinetics. II. Novel methods of measuring monomer reactivity ratios under high-pressure conditions

Two new techniques for the determination of monomer reactivity ratios in copolymerization under high-pressure conditions have been developed, viz., the “sandwich” and the “quenching” method. Both methods are based on repeated quantitative gas chromatographic analysis of the reaction mixture during the low-pressure stages preceding and succeeding the high-pressure stage, of which the kinetics is under investigation. Application of the “sandwich” method implies the occurrence of reaction during both low-pressure stages and consequently the low-pressure kinetic data are required to obtain the transition points of low to high pressure and vice versa. These points constitute the initial and final conditions of the relevant high-pressure reaction. On the contrary, in the “quenching” method no reaction occurs during the low-pressure stages, owing to the lower temperature and the high activation energy of the initiator decomposition. As a consequence, the initial and final conditions of the high-pressure stage can be determined by a simple averaging procedure. Both methods have been tested for the ethylene—vinyl acetate copolymerization at 62°C and 600 kg/cm² with tert-butyl alcohol as solvent, and appear to lead to almost identical monomer reactivity ratios, although the “quenching” method is slightly preferred in case of copolymerization reactions. Both methods are particularly valuable when one of the reactants is gaseous or the reaction produces a gas. Further merits and drawbacks of both methods are discussed.     

Copolymerization of ethylene and vinyl acetate at low pressure: Determination of the kinetics by sequential sampling

In behalf of a detailed study on the course of copolymerization reactions, this paper describes an improved and generally applicable experimental method and an efficient computational procedure to match. The experimental method is based on quantitative gas chromatography, and permits frequent measurement of the monomer feed composition throughout (co)polymerization processes at pressures up to 40 kgf/cm² ( = 38.7 atm). The given method is applied to the study of the radical copolymerization of ethylene with vinyl acetate in a series of kinetic experiments, at 62°C and 35 kgf/cm² ( = 33.9 atm) in tert-butyl alcohol, in which 20–40% conversion is reached. Monomer feed composition and degree of conversion are entered into a computational procedure based on nonlinear least-squares methods applied to the integrated version of the copolymer equation. The experimental data, covering a region of ethylene molar feed fractions between 0.24 and 0.74 and copolymer concentrations up to 8 wt-%, are precisely consistent with the usual model. The respective reactivity ratios are r?_e = 0.743 ± 0.005 and r?_v = 1.515 ± 0.007.     

Functional copolymers with triazole and acetate fragments

New functional copolymers of different composition with triazole and acetate fragments in the macromolecules were synthesized by free radical copolymerization of 1-vinyl-1,2,4-triazole with vinyl acetate. The reactivity of the comonomers was studied and the monomer copolymerization constants were calculated. The structure and composition of the copolymers were determined by elemental analysis, IR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy.     

Studies of the polymerization of diallyl compounds. XII. Cyclocopolymerization of dimethallyl phthalate with vinyl acetate

Dimethallyl phthalate was copolymerized with vinyl acetate at 60°C with the use of benzoyl peroxide as an initiator. The rate and degree of copolymerization increased with an increase in the mole fraction of vinyl acetate. The residual unsaturation of the copolymer was nearly constant, regardless of the feed molar ratio. The monomer reactivity ratios (MRR) were obtained on the basis of the copolymer composition equation in which the intramolecular cyclization reaction was considered: γ₁ = 1.08 (MRR of the uncyclized radical), γ₂ = 0.99 (MRR of vinyl acetate radical), γ_c = 0.73 (MRR of the cyclized radical). The difference between γ₁ and γ_c is discussed.     

Complexed copolymerization of vinyl compounds with alkylaluminum halides

The monomer reactivity in the complexed copolymerization of vinyl compounds with alkylaluminum halides has been extensively surveyed. Equimolar copolymers were obtained in various combinations of monomers which are classified into two monomer groups, A and B. The group B monomers are conjugated vinyl compounds having nitrile or carbonyl groups in the conjugated position and form complexes with alkylaluminum halides. The group A monomers are donor monomers having low values, such as olefins, haloolefins, dienes, and unsaturated esters. These A monomers belong to the same group of monomers which give alternating copolymers in conventional radical copolymerization with maleic anhydride, SO₂, and so on. In addition the complexed copolymerization has the same specific characteristics as the conventional alternating copolymerization, i.e., high reactivities of allyl-resonance monomers and inner olefins and no transfer of halogen atom to the copolymers in CCl₄. These features suggest little or no participation of the A monomer radical. The Q-e scheme is also discussed in terms of the monomer reactivity. More than two monomers selected from groups A and B give multicomponent copolymers in which alternating sequential structures hold with respect to A and B. Anomalous mutual reactivities between two B monomers in the terpolymerization were observed and indicate that the nature of radical in the complexed copolymerization may be different from that expected by the Lewis-Mayo equation. The complexed radical mechanism previously proposed is discussed in connection with the specific behavior mentioned above.     

Interpretation of reactivity in radical polymerization—Radicals,monomers, and transfer agents: Beyond the Q‐e scheme

50 years ago, Alfrey and Price advanced the Q‐e scheme for the interpretation of radical and monomer reactivity and the prediction of monomer reactivity ratios in radical copolymerization. Despite the early criticism of the scheme by Mayo and Walling, and its obvious fundamental shortcomings, it continues to be essentially the only such scheme in use today. However, the more soundly based Patterns of Reactivity Scheme, originally proposed in 1959, has recently been revised in such a way that it provides, in a simple way, far more accurate predictions of monomer reactivity ratios than does the Q‐e scheme. Moreover, it is equally applicable to the forecasting of chain‐transfer constants and to the understanding of the reactivity of initiator radicals. The history of investigations of radical, monomer, and transfer agent reactivity is reviewed here, including a summary of the Revised Patterns Scheme and its applications. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 113–126, 1999     

Studies of the polymerization of diallyl compounds. XXVII. Copolymerization of diallyl tartrate with several vinyl monomers

The radical copolymerization of diallyl tartrate (DATa) (M₁) with diallyl succinate (DASu), diallyl phthalate (DAP), allyl benzoate (ABz), vinyl acetate (VAc), or styrene (St) was investigated in order to disclose in more detail the characteristic hydroxyl group's effect observed in the homopolymerization of DATa. In the copolymerization with DASu or DAP as a typical diallyldicarboxylate, the dependence of the rate of copolymerization on monomer composition was different for different copolymerization systems and unusual values larger than unity for the product of monomer reactivity ratios, r₁r₂, were obtained. In the copolymerization with ABz or VAc (M₂), the r₁ and r₂ values were estimated to be 1.50 and 0.64 for the DATa/ABz system and 0.76 and 2.34 for the DATa/VAc system, respectively; the product r₁r₂ for the latter copolymerization system was found again to be larger than unity. In the copolymerization with St, the largest effect due to DATa monomer of high polarity was observed. Solvent effects were tentatively examined to improve the copolymerizability of DATa. These results are discussed in terms of hydrogen-bonding ability of DATa.     

Kinetic study of the crosslinking reaction of 1,2‐polybutadiene with dicumyl peroxide in the absence and presence of vinyl acetate

The crosslinking reaction of 1,2-polybutadiene (1,2-PB) with dicumyl peroxide (DCPO) in dioxane was kinetically studied by means of Fourier transform near-infrared spectroscopy (FTNIR). The crosslinking reaction was followed in situ by the monitoring of the disappearance of the pendant vinyl group of 1,2-PB with FTNIR. The initial disappearance rate (R₀) of the vinyl group was expressed by R₀ = k[DCPO]^0.8[vinyl group]^−0.2 (120 °C). The overall activation energy of the reaction was estimated to be 38.3 kcal/mol. The unusual rate equation was explained in terms of the polymerization of the pendant vinyl group as an allyl monomer involving degradative chain transfer to the monomer. The reaction mixture involved electron spin resonance (ESR)-observable polymer radicals, of which the concentration rapidly increased with time owing to a progress of crosslinking after an induction period of 200 min. The crosslinking reaction of 1,2-PB with DCPO was also examined in the presence of vinyl acetate (VAc), which was regarded as a copolymerization of the vinyl group with VAc. The vinyl group of 1,2-PB was found to show a reactivity much higher than 1-octene and 3-methyl-1-hexene as model compounds in the copolymerization with VAc. This unexpectedly high reactivity of the vinyl group suggested that an intramolecular polymerization process proceeds between the pendant vinyl groups located on the same polymer chain, possibly leading to the formation of block-like polymer. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 4437–4447, 2004     

A novel synthetic procedure of vinylacetamide and its free radical polymerization

The pyrolysis of N-(α-methoxyethyl) acetamide, which was obtained by one-step reaction of acetamide, acetaldehyde, and methanol, gave N-vinylacetamide (NVA) in a good yield. The polymerizability and copolymerizability of NVA were studied. Free radical polymerization was carried out in the presence of radical initiator or by γ-ray irradiation. The monomer reactivity ratios of NVA were estimated in the copolymerization with acrylamide, vinyl acetate, and methyl methacrylate. The solvents were found to influence the monomer reactivity ratio. NVA showed a typical copolymerizability as nonconjugated vinyl monomer, and Q and e values were obtained in DMF as 0.16 and ?1.57, respectively.     

End‐functionalized copolymers prepared by the addition–fragmentation chain‐transfer method: Vinyl acetate/methacrylonitrile system

Copolymers of vinyl acetate and methacrylonitrile were prepared by free‐radical polymerization in the presence of the chain‐transfer agent (CTA) ethyl‐α‐ (t‐butanethiomethyl)acrylate. Molecular weight measurements showed that the chain‐transfer constants increased with the vinyl acetate content of the comonomer mixture, ranging from 0.42 for methacrylonitrile to 6.3 for the copolymerization of a vinyl acetate‐rich monomer mix (89/11). The bulk copolymer composition was not appreciably affected by the amount of CTA used in the copolymerization. The efficiency of the addition–fragmentation mechanism in producing specifically end‐functionalized copolymers was investigated with ¹H NMR spectroscopy. Spectral peaks consistent with all the expected end groups were observed for all comonomer feeds. Peaks consistent with other end groups were also observed, and these were particularly prominent for copolymers made with lower CTA concentrations. At the highest concentrations used, quantitative measurements of end‐group concentrations indicated that 70–80% of the end groups were those expected on the basis of the addition–fragmentation chain‐transfer mechanism. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 39: 2911–2919, 2001     

Synthesis and free radical polymerization of 2-methylene-7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane

A new monomer, 2-methylene-7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane ( IV ) was synthesized via four steps. Its structure was confirmed by IR, ¹H-NMR, and ¹³C-NMR spectra as well as elementary analysis. Free radical polymerization and copolymerization of IV were investigated. No homopolymer was obtained due to the effect of allyl inhibition. When IV copolymerized with electron-donor monomers, such as vinyl acetate and stvrene, IV acted as inhibitor for the polymerization of vinyl acetate, but could not inhibit the polymerization of styrene. However, the copolymers of IV with electron-accepting monomers, such as methyl methacrylate, acrylonitrile, or maleic anhydride (MA) were obtained. The contents of IV in the copolymers increased as e values of electron-accepting monomers increased. Strictly alternating copolymer was obtained only in the case of MA and IV . The thermal properties of copolymers were investigated. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Free‐radical copolymerization of vinyl esters using fluoroalcohols as solvents: The solvent effect on the monomer reactivity ratio

Free‐radical copolymerizations of vinyl acetate (VAc = M₁) and other vinyl esters (= M₂) including vinyl pivalate (VPi), vinyl 2,2‐bis(trifluoromethyl)propionate (VF6Pi), and vinyl benzoate (VBz) with fluoroalcohols and tetrahydrofuran (THF) as the solvents were investigated. The fluoroalcohols affected not only the stereochemistry but also the polymerization rate. The polymerization rate was higher in the fluoroalcohols than in THF. The accelerating effect of the fluoroalcohols on the polymerization was probably due to the interaction of the solvents with the ester side groups of the monomers and growing radical species. The difference in the monomer reactivity ratios (r₁, r₂) in THF and 2,2,2‐trifluoroethanol was relatively small for all reaction conditions and for the monomers tested in this work, whereas r₁ increased in the VAc‐VF6Pi copolymerization and r₂ decreased in the VAc‐VPi copolymerization when perfluoro‐tert‐butyl alcohol was used as the solvent. These results were ascribed to steric and monomer‐activating effects due to the hydrogen bonding between the monomers and solvents. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 220–228, 2000     

Chain transfer for vinyl monomers polymerized in N-allylstearamide

Apparent transfer constants have been determined for styrene, methyl methacrylate vinyl acetate, and diethyl maleate polymerized in N-allylstearamide at 90°C. Regression coefficients for transfer were: methyl methacrylate, 0.301 × 10^?3; styrene, with no added initiator, 0.582 × 10^?3; styrene, initiated with benzoyl peroxide, 0.830 × 10^?3; vinyl acetate, 62.01 × 10^?3; and diethyl maleate, 2.24 × 10^?3. Rates of polymerization were retarded for both styrene and methyl methacrylate. Vinyl monomer and comonomer disappearance followed an increasing exponential dependence on both initiator and monomer concentration. Although degradative chain transfer probably caused most of the retardation, the cross-termination effect was not eliminated as a contribution factor. Rates for the vinyl acetate copolymerization were somewhat retarded, even though initiator consumption was large because of induced decomposition. The kinetic and transfer data indicated that the reactive monomers added radicals readily, but that rates were lowered by degradative chain transfer. Growing chains were terminated at only moderate rates of transfer. Unreactive monomers added radicals less easily, producing reactive radicals, which transferred rapidly, so that molecular weights were lowered precipitously. Although induced initiator decomposition occurred, rates were still retarded by degradative chain transfer. A simple empirical relation was found between the reciprocal number-average degree of polymerization, 1/X?_n1 and the mole fraction of allylic comonomer entering the copolymer F₂, which permitted estimation of the molecular weight of copolymers of vinyl monomers with allylic comonomers. This equation should be applicable when monomer transfer constants for each homopolymer are known and when osmometric molecular weights of one or two copolymers of low allylic content have been determined.     

Free-radical copolymerizations of 1,2-dichloroethylenes. Evidence for chain transfer by chlorine atom elimination

Trialkylboron–oxygen, an active, low-temperature free-radical initiator, has been employed to investigate the effects of very low temperatures on the copolymerizations of vinyl acetate with cis and trans-1,2-dichloroethylenes. The low temperatures favor the propagation rate relative to the transfer rate, such that high molecular weight copolymers containing substantial quantities of 1,2-dichloroethylene can be prepared. The molecular weights of the copolymers depend only on the amounts of 1,2-dichloroethylene in the copolymers, regardless of the isomer which takes part in the copolymerization. Since the double bond of the trans isomer is about six times as reactive as that of the cis isomer, this indicates that the dominating chain transfer reaction occurs by chlorine atom elimination subsequent to the addition of the dichloroethylene unit to the growing free radical chain. It is suggested that a similar chain-transfer mechanism occurs in the polymerization of vinyl chloride, wherein an infrequent head-to-head placement of monomer unit is followed by ejection of a chlorine atom to form an olefinic bond and termination of that growing chain. The presence of the 1,2-dichloroethylene unit in the copolymer increases the glass transition temperature approximately 1°C per weight per cent copolymerized with the vinyl acetate.