Synthesis of polyetherols with isocyanuric ring. Kinetics and mechanisms of reactions,part 2: Consecutive reaction of ethylene carbonate with isocyanuric acid

The kinetics and mechanism of the reaction between isocyanuric acid and ethylene carbonate was studied. The multistep reaction in the presence of potassium carbonate as catalyst leads to polyetherols. The imide and hydroxyl groups of intermediates react with ethylene carbonate by slightly different mechanism and kinetics. The rate constants for these elementary processes were established, and based on these experimental data the mechanism of reaction was proposed. Using the isocyanuric acid and 1,3,5‐tris(2‐hydroxyethyl)isocyanurate, it has been found that the reaction of ethylene carbonate with intermediates occurs via a mixed mechanism. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 41: 523–531, 2009     

Synthesis of polyetherols with isocyanuric ring. Kinetics and mechanisms of reactions,part 1: Reaction between isocyanuric acid and ethylene carbonate

The reaction between isocyanuric acid and ethylene carbonate results in the formation of polyetherols. The kinetic and mechanistic studies revealed that the initial step of the reaction is zero order related to ethylene carbonate. The rate‐limiting step is the decomposition of an intermediating dianion of ethylene dicarbonate into ethane‐1,2‐diolate dianion and carbon dioxide. Imide groups of isocyanuric acid inhibit the reaction. The mechanism of reaction was confirmed by spectroscopic methods. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 41: 512–522, 2009     

Ethylene Epoxidation with Nitrous Oxide over Fe–BTC Metal–Organic Frameworks: A DFT Study

The epoxidation of ethylene with N₂O over the metal‐organic framework Fe–BTC (BTC=1,3,5‐benzentricarboxylate) is investigated by means of density functional calculations. Two reaction paths for the production of ethylene oxide or acetaldehyde are systematically considered in order to assess the efficiency of Fe–BTC for the selective formation of ethylene oxide. The reaction starts with the decomposition of N₂O to form an active surface oxygen atom on the Fe site of Fe–BTC, which subsequently reacts with an ethylene molecule to form an ethyleneoxy intermediate. This intermediate can then be selectively transformed either by 1,2‐hydride shift into the undesired product acetaldehyde or into the desired product ethylene oxide by way of ring closure of the intermediate. The production of ethylene oxide requires an activation energy of 5.1 kcal mol^?1, which is only about one‐third of the activation energy of acetaldehyde formation (14.3 kcal mol^?1). The predicted reaction rate constants for the formation of ethylene oxide in the relevant temperature range are approximately 2–4 orders of magnitude higher than those for acetaldehyde. Altogether, the results suggest that Fe–BTC is a good candidate catalyst for the epoxidation of ethylene by molecular N₂O.     

The composition of transformation products of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzoic acid in the aqueous-phase hydrogenation over Pd/C catalysts

Due to a detailed analysis of NMR spectra of the reaction solutions with different composition obtained by the aqueous-phase catalytic (Pd/C) hydrogenation of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzoic acid, the intermediate compounds were identified and a more substantiated mechanism was proposed for the formation of the main reaction products—1,3,5-triaminobenzene and cyclohexane-1,3,5-trione trioxime. The condensation of the 1,3,5-triaminobenzene molecules produced by a complete hydrogenation of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzoic acid was shown to result in the formation of a paramagnetic heterocyclic compound.     

Theoretical studies on the formation mechanism and explosive performance of nitro‐substituted 1,3,5‐triazines

To develop new highly energetic materials, we have considered the design of molecules with high nitrogen content. Possible candidates include 1,3,5‐triazine derivatives. In this work, we studied potential synthetic routes for melamine using the MP2/6‐31+G(d,p)//B3LYP/6‐31G(d) level of theory. The mechanisms studied here are stepwise mechanism beginning with the dimerization of cyanamide and one‐step termolecular mechanism. The same type of mechanism is also applied to nitro‐substituted 1,3,5‐triazines. Values for the heat of formation in the solid phase were predicted from density functional theory calculations. Densities were estimated from a regression equation obtained by molecular surface electrostatic potentials. The Cheetah program was used to study the explosive performance of these compounds. In this study, we found that the explosive properties of 2‐amino‐4, 6‐dinitro‐1, 3,5‐triazine (ADNTA), and 2,4,6‐trinitro‐1,3,5‐triazine (TNTA) are similar to those of RDX and HMX, respectively. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2010     

Vinyl ether end‐groups in poly(ethylene glycol)s from the Na2CO3‐promoted degradation of 1,3‐dioxolan‐2‐one polymers

The Na₂CO₃‐promoted polymerization of 1,3‐dioxolan‐2‐one (I) to afford poly(ethylene glycol) III was reinvestigated. The reaction appeared to involve a nucleophilic attack against the carbonyl and methylene groups of I to afford poly(carbonate) II with poly(ethylene glycol) linkages and ethylene oxide IV as a side product (10–22%). As the reaction progressed, poly(carbonate) II decreased and poly(ethylene glycol) III increased. Under some conditions, poly(ethylene glycol)s V and VI with vinyl ether terminal groups were formed unexpectedly. The formation of unsaturated products during the polymerization of I/EO (ethylene oxide) has not been reported in the literature. We believe that vinyl ethers were formed from the degradation of poly(carbonate)s and were accompanied by a reduction in molecular weight. The structures of vinyl ethers V and VI were confirmed by hydrogenation of the double bond into the ethyl ether group in VII and VIII, respectively. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 152–160, 2000     

Clarification of Decomposition Pathways in a State‐of‐the‐Art Lithium Ion Battery Electrolyte through 13C‐Labeling of Electrolyte Components

The decomposition of state‐of‐the‐art lithium ion battery (LIB) electrolytes leads to a highly complex mixture during battery cell operation. Furthermore, thermal strain by e.g., fast charging can initiate the degradation and generate various compounds. The correlation of electrolyte decomposition products and LIB performance fading over life‐time is mainly unknown. The thermal and electrochemical degradation in electrolytes comprising 1 m LiPF₆ dissolved in ¹³C₃‐labeled ethylene carbonate (EC) and unlabeled diethyl carbonate is investigated and the corresponding reaction pathways are postulated. Furthermore, a fragmentation mechanism assumption for oligomeric compounds is depicted. Soluble decomposition products classes are examined and evaluated with liquid chromatography‐high resolution mass spectrometry. This study proposes a formation scheme for oligo phosphates as well as contradictory findings regarding phosphate‐carbonates, disproving monoglycolate methyl/ethyl carbonate as the central reactive species.     

One-pot synthesis of 1,3,5-tribenzoylbenzenes by three consecutive Michael addition reactions of 1-phenyl-2-propyn-1-ones in pressurized hot water in the absence of added catalysts

Cyclotrimerization of 1‐phenyl‐2‐propyn‐1‐one in pressurized hot water gave 1,3,5‐tribenzoylbenzene in one pot in 65 % yield after 7 min at 200 °C, or in 74 % yield after 60 min at 150 °C. The reaction did not take place in the absence of water, and added base promoted the reaction at 250 °C, suggesting a mechanism of three‐consecutive Michael addition reactions. The reaction rates increased with temperature, but the yield of 1,3,5‐tribenzoylbenzene decreased at the expense of formation of acetophenone as a side product at higher temperatures. p‐Methyl and p‐chloro‐substituents on the phenyl ring retarded and enhanced the reaction, respectively. A mechanism involving the enol of benzoylacetaldehyde at a branching point of the pathway leading to 1,3,5‐tribenzoylbenzene and acetophenone was suggested.     

Controlled Synthesis of Porous Coordination‐Polymer Microcrystals with Definite Morphologies and Sizes under Mild Conditions

Herein, we report a facile and convenient method for the synthesis of the porous coordination polymer MOF‐14 [Cu₃(BTB)₂] (H₃BTB=4,4′,4′′‐benzene‐1,3,5‐triyl‐tribenzoic acid) as microcrystals with definite shapes and crystal facets controlled by the reaction medium at room temperature. The amount of sodium acetate added to the reaction system plays a crucial role in the shape evolution of MOF‐14 from rhombic dodecahedrons to truncated rhombic dodecahedrons and cubes with truncated edges and then to cubes. The addition of a base could accelerate the formation rate of crystal growth and increase the supersaturation of crystal growth, thus resulting in the formation of MOF‐14 cube crystals with high‐energy crystal facets. The morphological evolution was also observed for HKUST‐1 [Cu₃(BTC)₂] (H₃BTC=1,3,5‐benzenetricarbocylic acid) from octahedrons to cubes, thus verifying the probable mechanism of the morphological transformation. The gas‐adsorption properties of MOF‐14 with different shapes were studied and reveal that the porous coordination‐polymer microcrystals display excellent and morphology‐dependent sorption properties.     

Functionalization of a poly(vinyl alcohol) in the solid state with a swelling agent by methacrylic anhydride

Poly(vinyl alcohol‐co‐vinyl acetate) was functionalized by methacrylic anhydride to introduce functional groups by a new process that consisted of modifying a polymer directly from a powder form in the solid state. To favor the diffusion of the reagents, a swelling agent composed by a mixture of ethylene carbonate and propylene carbonate was used. N‐methylimidazole was used as a basic catalyst of the esterification reaction, adjusting the reaction times. This work presents the process and the effects of the formulation on anhydride conversion. The side reactions were also determined; they all involved N‐methylimidazole. Decarboxylation reactions of the carbonates were characterized, that is, going from ethylene carbonate to ethylene glycol, which is able to react with two anhydride molecules by esterification reactions to, respectively, form 2‐hydroxyethyl 2‐methylpropenoate and ethyl 1,2‐bis(2‐methyl propenoate). The same side reactions are possible with propylene carbonate but are less reactive than the starting ethylene carbonate. Model anhydrides such as hexanoic and heptanoic anhydrides, less reactive than methacrylic anhydride, were used to characterize a new anhydride decarboxylation reaction. The homogeneity of the grafting is also discussed, especially its dependence on the polymer properties, the diffusion modes of the reagents (carbonate mixture and the anhydride), and the competition between the diffusional and chemical kinetics of methacrylic anhydride. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 1618–1629, 2004     

Mechanism of ring-opening and elimination cooligomerization of cyclic carbonates and ε-caprolactone: Formation of cyclic cooligomers

The cooligomerization reactions of the comonomers ethylene carbonate-propylene carbonate, ethylene carbonate-ε-caprolactone and propylene carbonate-ε-caprolactone initiated by the p-tert-butylphenol/KHCO₃ system were investigated by means of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry combined with liquid chromatography. Three major cooligomer series were found in each case which were identified such as cooligomers with tert-butylphenol and hydroxyl headgroups. The presence of cyclic cooligomers was also unambigously observed. In addition, cooligomers carrying carbonate linkages were also identified, however, their fraction was very small compared to the cooligomer series without carbonate linkages. Besides the cooligomerization reaction, homooligomerization of ethylene and propylene carbonate was observed, as well as no linear homooligomers of ε-caprolactone were detected. Based on the LC-ESI MS results a mechanism is proposed for the formation of cyclic co-oligomers and the chain degradation of cooligomers containing carbonate linkages.     

Crystal structure and morphologies of polypropylene homopolymer and propylene‐ethylene random copolymer: Effect of the substituted 1,3,5‐benzenetrisamides

Four different substituted 1,3,5‐benzenetrisamides were synthesized and two of them were reported for the first time. Their effects on the crystal structure and morphologies of the iPP homopolymer (PPH) and propylene‐ethylene random copolymers (PPR) were investigated. The results showed that they had versatile nucleating ability among the different crystal forms of PPH. The N,N′,N′′‐tris‐tert‐butyl‐1,3,5‐benzene‐tricarboxamide, N,N′,N′′‐tris‐cyclohexyl‐1,3,5‐benzene‐tricarboxamide, and N,N′,N′′‐tris‐isopropyl‐1,3,5‐benzene‐tricarboxamide suppressed the formation of detectable spherulites with the common α‐form of the PPH, as well as the N,N′,N′′‐n‐butyl‐1,3,5‐benzene‐tricarboxamide induced the spherulites of the β‐form. The combination of the ethylene segment and the nucleating agent facilitated the formation of the γ‐form. These trisamides had limited effects on the packing of the PPH segments but induced more compacted packing of the PPRs. The nucleation mechanism of such compounds was discussed for the first time, it was found that the nucleation ability of these compounds rooted in matching of their dimension of the b‐axis with dimension of the c‐axis of iPP, and their butterfly‐shape further enhanced it. The (001) face of the trisamides was in contact with the (010) face of iPP. This epitaxial crystallization led to preferential growth along the b‐axis, and the ethylene segment indeed enhanced this effect. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 46: 1067–1078, 2008     

Synthesis and characterization of poly(ethylene oxide‐co‐ethylene carbonate) macromonomers and their use in the preparation of crosslinked polymer electrolytes

Methacrylate‐functionalized poly(ethylene oxide‐co‐ethylene carbonate) macromonomers were prepared in two steps by the anionic ring‐opening polymerization of ethylene carbonate at 180 °C, with potassium methoxide as the initiator, followed by the reaction of the terminal hydroxyl groups of the polymers with methacryloyl chloride. The molecular weight of the polymer went through a maximum after approximately 45 min of polymerization, and the content of ethylene carbonate units in the polymer decreased with the reaction time. A polymer having a number‐average molecular weight of 2650 g mol^?1 and an ethylene carbonate content of 28 mol % was selected and used to prepare a macromonomer, which was subsequently polymerized by UV irradiation in the presence of different concentrations of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide salt. The resulting self‐supportive crosslinked polymer electrolyte membranes reached ionic conductivities of 6.3 × 10^?6 S cm^?1 at 20 °C. The coordination of the lithium ions by both the ether and carbonate oxygens in the polymer structure was indicated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 2195–2205, 2006     

Reaction Kinetics of the Model Reaction of Benzoic Acid with Ethylene Carbonate

As a model for several polymer-related reactions, we have reexamined the reaction kinetics of benzoic acid with ethylene carbonate in which various quaternary ammonium salts were used as catalysts. The salt anion appeared to have little or no effect on the rate of reaction. At a 1:1 mole ratio of acid to carbonate, the reaction was zero-order to about 95% reaction. With tetraethyl-ammonium hydroxide catalyst at 0.4 mol% (based on carbonate moles), the activation energy was 20.8 kcal/mol with a preexponential factor of In A = 17.1 (activation entropy of -26 cal/deg). The activation energy for decomposition of the carbonate alone was 33.0 kcal/mol with a preexponential factor of In A = 27.3. This rules out previously suggested mechanisms that essentially involved decomposition of the carbonate prior to esterification. The proposed mechanism for the reaction involves the attack of the quaternary salt carboxylate on the methylene carbon of the carbonate. The attack causes ring opening and is followed by proton transfer and carbon dioxide loss from the carbonate half-ester intermediate. Ether linkages (such as diethylene glycol) are postulated to arise from the resultant alkoxide intermediate prior to protonation to give the hydroxyethyl ester rather than by separate postreaction of carbonate with the hydroxyethyl ester.     

Anionic bulk oligomerization of ethylene and propylene carbonate initiated by bisphenol‐A/base systems

When the bulk oligomerization of 1,3‐dioxolan‐2‐one (ethylene carbonate, EC) and 4‐methyl‐1,3‐dioxolan‐2‐one (propylene carbonate, PC) with the 2,2‐bis(4‐hydroxyphenyl)propane (bisphenol‐A, BPA)/base system (bases such as KHCO₃, K₂CO₃, KOH, Li₂CO₃, and t‐BuOK) was investigated at elevated temperature, significant differences were observed. Oligomerization of EC initiated by BPA/base readily takes place, but the oligomerization of PC is inhibited. The very first propylene carbonate/propylene oxide unit readily forms a phenolic ether bond with the functional groups of BPA phenolate, but the addition of the second monomer unit is rather slow. The oligomerization of EC yields symmetrical oligo(ethylene oxide) side chains. According to IR studies the oligomeric chains formed from PC with BPA contain not only ether but also carbonate bonds. The in situ step oligomerization of the BPA dipropoxylate was also identified by SEC, and a possible reaction mechanism is proposed. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 545–550, 1999     

Synthesis of 3-Aryl-1,3,5-pentanetricarboxylic acid trialkylesters via a Tandem Addition-Rearrangement-Addition Reaction

 In the presence of anhydrous potassium carbonate as base, triethylbenzylammonium chloride as phase transfer catalyst, and dimethylformamide as solvent, 4-nitrophenylsulfonylacetate was treated with alkyl acrylate at 70°C to afford the unexpected 3-aryl-1,3,5-pentanetricarboxylic acid trialkylesters via a tandem addition-rearrangement-addition reaction. A possible mechanism was suggested.     

Controlled synthesis and functionalization of PEGylated methacrylates bearing cyclic carbonate pendant groups

Homopolymer bearing cyclic carbonate (CC) group, ABA type triblock copolymers, and (AC)B(AC) type terpolymers with statistical arrangement of A and C monomers bearing side chain CC groups are reported here. Difunctional poly(ethylene glycol) macroinitiators (PEGMIs) were prepared from PEG of three different molecular weights. PEGMIs were subsequently used for the preparation of polymers bearing CC pendant groups from cyclic carbonate methacrylate (CCMA) under atom transfer radical polymerization to yield polymers with low polydispersity index. Homopolymer and ABA type triblock copolymers were obtained by polymerizing CCMA monomer and (AC)B(AC) type statistical terpolymers were obtained when methyl methacrylate was included as a comonomer. No polymer was obtained when styrene was used as comonomer. The cyclic carbonate groups were subjected to ring‐opening reaction with monoamine to yield side chain hydroxyurethane polymers with increased solubility and diamines to yield crosslinked insoluble materials. Changes in wettability characteristics were studied by following the water contact angle of the polymers before and after ring‐opening reaction involving the cyclic carbonate pendant group. The polymers which composed of electrolyte in the form of PEG and coordinating species in the form of pendant cyclic carbonate groups showed conductivity in the range of 2–5 × 10^?6 Scm^?1 at 23 °C after doping with lithium bis(trifluoromethane)sulfonimide as characterized by impedance spectroscopy. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 1622–1632, 2010     

Development of an efficient method for preparation of 1,3,5-trihydroxyisocyanuric acid (THICA) and its use as aerobic oxidation catalyst

1,3,5-Trihydroxyisocyanuric acid (THICA), which serves as an efficient radical-producing catalyst from hydrocarbons, was successfully prepared by two methods. The reaction of O-benzylhydroxyamine with phenyl chloroformate gave formbenzyloxycarbamic acid phenyl ester of which subsequent treatment with dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) produced 1,3,5-tribenzyloxyisocyanurate leading to THICA by hydrogenation with H₂ on Pd/C. The other method involved the direct synthesis of 1,3,5-tribenzyloxyisocyanurate from O-benzylhydroxyamine and diphenyl carbonate. The aerobic oxidation of p-methylanisole catalyzed using THICA as a key catalyst afforded p-anisic acid in almost quantitative yield (>99%).     

Effect of Polymer and Surfactant‐Polymer Couples on the Acid-Catalyzed Hydrolysis of Phenyl Urea

The mechanism of the hydrolysis decomposition of phenyl urea in acid, polymer, and surfactant‐polymer media was investigated, the addition‐elimination mechanism with rate determining attack of water at N‐protonated substrate having already been studied. This study has introduced the polymer PEG (MW‐400) and (surfactant‐polymer) (ceteyl trimethyl ammonium bromide‐poly ethylene glycol) (CTAB‐PEG), (cetyl pyridinium bromide‐polyethylene glycol) (CPC‐PEG) (sodium dodecyl sulphate‐poly ethylene glycol) (SDS‐PEG), (Triton X‐100‐poly ethylene glycol) (TX‐100‐PEG), and (Brij35‐poly ethylene glycol) (Brij35‐PEG) in acid media. The results indicate that the presence of polymer and surfactant‐polymer enhances the rate of reaction at 80°C in the presence of 0.9 M H₂SO₄. Kinetic studies show that the reaction obeyed first‐order kinetics. The reaction kinetics can be well explained by micellar catalysis models like the PPIE.     

Facile synthesis of glycerol carbonate from glycerol using selenium‐catalyzed carbonylation with carbon monoxide

The commercial production of glycerol has increased considerably for several years, because of its rising inevitable formation as a by‐product of biodiesel. For the effective utilization of glycerol, a new synthesis of glycerol carbonate (4‐hydroxymethyl‐2‐oxo‐1,3‐dioxolane) that is used as solvents and raw material of plastics from glycerol was explored. By combined the selenium‐catalyzed carbonylation of slightly excess of glycerol with carbon monoxide and potassium carbonate under 0.1 MPa at 20°C for 4 h in DMF with the oxidation of resulting selenocarbonate salt with molecular oxygen (0.1 MPa, 20 °C) for 2 h, glycerol carbonate was obtained in good yields (83–84%). However, sodium hydride to form sodium alkoxide in situ lowered the yield of glycerol carbonate. Use of triethylamine, 1‐methylpyrrolidine, and DBU as bases gave poor results. Furthermore, styrene carbonate was obtained in excellent yield (90%) under similar reaction conditions. The catalytic synthesis of glycerol carbonate was also brought about in the mixed gas atmosphere (carbon monoxide:oxygen = 3:1, 0.1 MPa, 20°C). Glycerol carbonate and styrene carbonate were obtained in reasonable yields (197% and 119%, based on selenium used). © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 21:541–545, 2010; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com . DOI 10.1002/hc.20640