Radical copolymerization of acrylic monomers. VIII. Copolymerization of methyl methacrylate with methyl α-p-chlorobenzylacrylate and methyl methacrylate with methyl α-p-methoxybenzylacrylate

Free-radical copolymerization of methyl methacrylate with methyl α-p-chlorobenzylacrylate and methyl methacrylate with methyl α-p-methoxybenzylacrylate have been studied in benzene solution at 40°C. Although a simple copolymerization model fits the composition data, the kinetic behavior of both copolymerization systems are analyzed from simple and reversible copolymerization models, taking into account the relatively low ceiling temperature of both methyl α-(p-substituted benzyl)acrylates and considering that the overall rate of copolymerization drastically decreases with the increase of the corresponding methyl α-(p-substituted benzyl)acrylate molar fraction in the feed.     

Effects of chlorophosphines on the radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate

The effect of chlorophosphines (phosphorus trichloride, dichlorophenylphosphine, chlorodiphenylphosphine) on the radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate was investigated in benzene solution. The polymerization was carried out at 50°C by the standard solution method, α,α′-azobisisobutyronitrile being used as an initiator. These chlorophosphines accelerated the polymerization of methyl methacrylate but did not affect the rate of decomposition of α,α′-azobisisobutyronitrile. Ultraviolet and infrared spectral data suggested that the acceleration effect was due to the complex formation of methyl methacrylate with each chlorophosphine. From the result of a copolymerization with styrene, it was found that the reactivity of methyl methacrylate monomer increased in the presence of dichlorophenylphosphine.     

Polymerization of coordinated monomers. VI. Molecular complex formation of methyl methacrylate coordinated to stannic chloride with styrene or toluene

The equilibrium constants for the complex formation between stannic chloride and methyl methacrylate were determined in n-hexane–toluene solution at 0, ?20, and ?30°C by using the absorption band at 350 nm. Continuous variation plots at ?20°C in n-hexane based on the ¹H-chemical shifts definitely show a 1:1 interaction between the coordinated methyl methacrylate and styrene or toluene. The magnitudes of the shifts for the four groups of protons in methyl methacrylate are found to be in a specific ratio in common with the 1:2 complex–styrene or -toluene system. The equilibrium constants for the ternary molecular complex formation between the 1:2 complex and styrene or toluene were determined in n-hexane in the temperature range ?50 to +20°C by use of the chemical shifts. The concentrations of the complex species in the alternating copolymerization solutions were estimated by use of the equilibrium constants. There is a linear relationship between the enthalpy and the entropy changes for the ternary molecular complex formation, which is governed by the enthalpy factor. The specificity of the interactions indicates a specific time-averaged orientation of benzene ring to the coordinated methyl methacrylate. The effects of the coordination of methyl methacrylate to stannic chloride were discussed on the basis of results of ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy.     

Determination of chain transfer constant to dodecanethiol in styrene/methyl methacrylate and butyl acrylate/methyl methacrylate copolymerization and effect of chain length on composition and stereochemical configuration of copolymers

Free radical copolymerization of styrene/methyl methacrylate (S/MMA) and butyl acrylate/methyl methacrylate (BA/MMA) in the presence of n-dodecanthiol (DDT) has been studied at 60°C in a 3 mol/L benzene solution using 2,2′-azobis(isobutyronitrile) (AIBN) as initiator. Overall chain transfer constant to DDT has been determined for both copolymerization systems, as a function of monomer feed composition using complete molecular weight distribution and the Mayo method. Overall transfer coefficients have values which are dependent on both monomer feed composition and individual comonomer transfer values. Composition, sequence distribution, and stereoregularity of copolymers obtained are, in our experimental conditions, independent of copolymer molecular weight. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 2913–2925, 1998     

Mechanism of the Radical Copolymerization of Methyl Methacrylate and Maleic Anhydride

The kinetics of the copolymerization of methyl methacrylate and maleic anhydride was investigated in benzenic solutions at 60 and 70° C and in bulk at 60°C. The microstructure of the copolymers was determined by ¹H-NMR and IR spectrophotometry. In benzene solutions the mechanism of copolymerization involves the participation of an associative species between both comonomers. In bulk a terminal model is sufficient to explain all the results.     

Radical Copolymerization of Acrylic Monomers. I. Effect of Solvent on the Copolymerization of Methyl Methacrylate and 1-Naphthyl Methacrylate

A study of the radical copolymerization of methyl methacrylate and 1-naphthyl methacrylate in benzene, chlorobenzene, and o-dichlorobenzene was made at 50°C. There is a marked effect of solvent on both r₁ and r₂ in all these systems, which can be correlated with the variation in the polarity of solvents. The glass transition temperatures of copolymers were discussed taking into consideration the sequence distribution of the copolymers and the homopolymers tg - values.     

Polymerization of coordinated monomers VII. A kinetic study on the alternating copolymerization of methyl methacrylate with styrene using stannic chloride

The alternating copolymerization of methyl methacrylate with styrene in the presence of stannic chloride at ?50°C in toluene was kinetically investigated both under photoirradiation and with the tri-n-butylboron-benzoyl peroxide initiator. The concentrations of the binary and ternary molecular complexes in the copolymerization solution were estimated by use of the equilibrium constants. The rates are found to be proportional to the 1.5th and 1.0th orders of the concentration of the ternary molecular complex composed of stannic chloride, methyl methacrylate, and styrene, under photoirradiation and with initiator, respectively. The conversion increases proportionally with the polymerization time, while the degree of polymerization is constant irrespective of the time. The rates depend linearly upon the square root of the intensity of the incident light and upon the concentration of tri-n-butylboron, respectively. The alternating copolymerization is confirmed experimentally to precede the homopolymerization of the monomer charged in large excess both under photoirradiation and with initiator. The kinetic results indicate consistently that the alternating copolymerization proceeds through the homopolymerization of the ternary molecular complex in the steady state with a bimolecular termination. Both the conventional radical mechanism and the double complex mechanism are unsuitable for the present alternating copolymerization.     

Catalytic effect of dimethyl sulfoxide in the Cu(0)/tris(2‐dimethylaminoethyl)amine‐catalyzed living radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate at 0–90 °C initiated with CH3CHClI as a model compound for α,ω‐di(iodo)poly(vinyl chloride) chain ends

A variety of conditions, including catalysts [CuCl, CuI, Cu₂O, and Cu(0)], ligands [2,2′‐bipyridine (bpy), tris(2‐dimethylaminoethyl)amine (Me₆‐TREN), polyethyleneimine, and hexamethyl triethylenetetramine], initiators [CH₃CHClI, CH₂I₂, CHI₃, and F(CF₂)₈I], solvents [diphenyl ether, toluene, tetrahydrofuran, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), dimethylformamide, ethylene carbonate, dimethylacetamide, and cyclohexanone], and temperatures [90, 25, and 0 °C] were studied to assess previous methods for poly(methyl methacrylate)‐b‐poly(vinyl chloride)‐b‐poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA‐b‐PVC‐b‐PMMA) synthesis by the living radical block copolymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) initiated with α,ω‐di(iodo)poly(vinyl chloride). CH₃CHClI was used as a model for α,ω‐di(iodo)poly(vinyl chloride) employed as a macroinitiator in the living radical block copolymerization of MMA. Two groups of methods evolved. The first involved CuCl/bpy or Me₆‐TREN at 90 °C, whereas the second involved Cu(0)/Me₆‐TREN in DMSO at 25 or 0 °C. Related ligands were used in both methods. The highest initiator efficiency and rate of polymerization were obtained with Cu(0)/Me₆‐TREN in DMSO at 25 °C. This demonstrated that the ultrafast block copolymerization reported previously is the most efficient with respect to the rate of polymerization and precision of the PMMA‐b‐PVC‐b‐PMMA architecture. Moreover, Cu(0)/Me₆‐TREN‐catalyzed polymerization exhibits an external first order of reaction in DMSO, and so this solvent has a catalytic effect in this living radical polymerization (LRP). This polymerization can be performed between 90 and 0 °C and provides access to controlled poly(methyl methacrylate) tacticity by LRP and block copolymerization. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 1935–1947, 2005     

Polymerization of coordinated monomers. XVII. Alternating copolymerization of methyl methacrylate with styrene by boron compounds

By the use of various boron compounds methyl methacrylate and styrene were copolymerized under photoirradiations at ?20°C. The alternately regulating activities of the boron compounds in the copolymerizations were in the following order: boron trichloride > ethylboron dichloride > boron trifluoride > diethylboron chloride ? triethylboron (?0). Boron trichloride and ethylboron dichloride exhibited such high regulating activities that their presence in 1 mol% in the charged methyl methacrylate was sufficient to complete equimolar alternating copolymerization. The alternating copolymerization proceeded in the steady state. The copolymerization rates decreased in the following order: boron trichloride ? ethylboron dichloride > diethylboron chloride ? triethylboron (?0). The cotacticities of methyl methacrylate-centered triads in the resulting copolymers were identical to those prepared with boron trichloride, ethylboron dichloride, and diethylboron chloride. The mechanism of the alternating copolymerization is discussed.     

Polymerization of coordinated monomers. X. Kinetic study of alternating copolymerization of methyl methacrylate and styrene with stannic chloride in dichloroethane

The alternating copolymerization of methyl methacrylate with styrene with the use of stannic chloride was kinetically examined at ?20°C in 1,2-dichloroethane both under photoirradiation and with radical initiator (2:1 tri-n-butylboron-benzoyl peroxide system). At conversions lower than 7%, the conversion increases linearly to the polymerization time, whereas the degree of polymerization is constant irrespective of the polymerization time. The alternating copolymerizations are 1.5 order and the 1.0 order reactions with respect to the ternary molecular complex composed of stannic chloride, methyl methacrylate, and styrene, under photoirradiation and with initiator, respectively. The linear dependences of the rates upon the 0.5 order of the intensity of the incident light and upon the 1.0 order of the concentration of tri-n-butylboron indicate a bimolecular termination. The rate normalized by the 1.5 order of the concentration of the coordinated methyl methacrylate and the rate normalized by the concentration of the coordinated methyl methacrylate are proportional to the 1.5 and 1.0 orders of the charged concentration of styrene, for the copolymerizations under photoirradiation and with initiator, respectively. The kinetic results in the 1,2-dichloroethane solution are quite consistent with those in the toluene solution. The alternating copolymerization mechanism, in which the ternary molecular complex predominantly homopolymerizes as a monomer unit, is confirmed.     

Emulsion copolymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate

Chain transfer constants to monomer have been measured by an emulsion copolymerization technique at 44°C. The monomer transfer constant (ratio of transfer to propagation rate constants) is 1.9 × 10^?5 for styrene polymerization and 0.4 × 10^?5 for the methyl methacrylate reaction. Cross-transfer reactions are important in this system; the sum of the cross-transfer constants is 5.8 × 10^?5. Reactivity ratios measured in emulsion were r₁ (styrene) = 0.44, r₂ = 0.46. Those in bulk polymerizations were r₁ = 0.45, r₂ = 0.48. These sets of values are not significantly different. Monomer feed compcsition in the polymerizing particles is the same as in the monomer droplets in emulsion copolymerization, despite the higher water solubility of methyl methacrylate. The equilibrium monomer concentration in the particles in interval-2 emulsion polymerization was constant and independent of monomer feed composition for feeds containing 0.25–1.0 mole fraction styrene. Radical concentration is estimated to go through a minimum with increasing methyl methacrylate content in the feed. Rates of copolymerization can be calculated a priori when the concentrations of monomers in the polymer particles are known.     

Copolymerization of 2,2-diallyl-1,1,3,3-tetraethylguanidinium chloride and alkyl methacrylates

Radical copolymerization of 2,2-diallyl-1,1,3,3-tetraethylguanidinium chloride with methyl methacrylate and allyl methacrylate in the bulk and methanol solution in the presence of azobis-isobutyric acid dinitryle at 70–90°C has been studied. Copolymerization of 2,2-diallyl-1,1,3,3-tetraethylguanidinium chloride with methyl methacrylate or allyl methacrylate in the bulk proceeds with formation of random copolymers enriched in methacrylate units; in the copolymerization of 2,2-diallyl-1,1,3,3-tetraethylguanidiny chloride with methyl methacrylate in methanol, the copolymerization constants of the monomers become close. The kinetic parameters of the reaction have been studied, the relative activities of the monomers have been determined. It has been found that 2,2-diallyl-1,1,3,3-tetraethylguanidinium chloride is copolymerized with allyl methacrylate or methylmethacrylate to form pyrrolidinium structures in the cyclolinear polymer chain. At high degrees of conversion of the copolymerization of 2,2-diallyl-1,1,3,3-tetraethylguanidinium chloride with allyl methacrylate, the viscosity increases and the side polymer chains are crosslinked by “allyl bonds” to form insoluble copolymers, swelling in benzene and DMSO.     

Alternating copolymerization of styrene and methyl α-chloroacrylate with diethylaluminum chloride

The alternating copolymerization of styrene and methyl α-chloroacrylate (MCA) with diethylaluminum chloride (Et₂AlCl) in benzene at 0°C has been investigated. The copolymer has an equimolar composition irrespective of the feed monomer composition, the copolymer yield and the amount of Et₂AlCl used. The copolymerization proceeds first very rapidly and then rather slowly after attaining a certain yield which varies proportionally to the amount of Et₂AlCl used. A maximum copolymer yield is observed at about 60% MCA feed composition. The ¹H-NMR analyses of dyad, triad, and pentad of the alternating deuterated α-d-St-MCA copolymer indicate that the configuration of this copolymer can be explained by a single parameter, coisotacticity σ(σ = 0.69). A favorable mechanism of the alternating propagation as well as of the stereoregularity control is discussed.     

Copolymerization reactivity of poly(methyl methacrylate) macromer

Poly(methyl mehtacrylate)(PMMA) macromers with several vinyl groups at both chain ends were synthesized by the mechanical scission reaction of the main chain in the presence of p-divinylbenzene(p-DVB). The radical copolymerization of this macromer with styrene(St) or MMA was carried out in benzene at 60°C and the reactivity ratio of both monomers (r₂) was calculated from a kinetic scheme of copolymerization. As a result, the effect of molecular weight and concentration of macromers was not observed in both copolymerization systems. The value of r₂, however, decreased as the number of end vinyl groups in a macromer (N) increased. These results are discussed in some detail as we describe the construction of the kinetic model of copolymerization.     

Radical homo- and copolymerizations of methyl α-trifluoroacetoxyacrylate

Radical homo- and copolymerizations of methyl α-trifluoroacetoxyacrylate (MTFAA) are studied by using azo initiators at 40 and 60°C. The rate of the homopolymerization of MTFAA was lower than that of methyl α-acetoxyacrylate. Monomer reactivity ratios (r), and Q and e values were estimated to be r₁ = 0.03, r₂ = 0.27, Q₁ = 0.65, and e₁ = 1.38 from the copolymerization of MTFAA (M₁) and styrene (M₂) at 60°C. Preferential crosspropagation was observed in particular in the copolymerization of MTFAA and α-methylstyrene. The influence of replacing the hydrogens of the acetoxy moiety of the acyloxyacrylate with the fluorines upon the copolymerization reactivity is discussed on the basis of the ¹³C-NMR chemical shift of various acyloxyacrylates. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 3537–3541, 1997     

Kinetic study of free-radical copolymerization of ethyl α-benzoyloxymethylacrylate with methyl methacrylate in benzene

From a phenomenological point of view, the Mayo-Lewis terminal model can describe both copolymer composition and the variation of copolymerization rate for the ethyl α-benzoyloxymethylacrylate/methyl methacrylate/benzene/2,2′-azoisobutyronitrile system.     

Polymerization of coordinated monomers. V. Polymerization of methyl methacrylate–Lewis acid complexes

The polymerization of the complex of methyl methacrylate with stannic chloride, aluminum trichloride, or boron trifluoride was carried out in toluene solution at several temperatures in the range of 60° to ?78°C by initiation of α,α′-azobisisobutyronicrile or by irradiation with ultraviolet rays. The tacticities of the resulting polymers were determined by NMR spectroscopy. Both the 1:1 and the 2:1 methyl methacrylate–SnCl₄ complexes gave polymers with similar tacticities at the polymerization temperatures above ?60°C. With decreasing temperature below ?60°C, the isotacticity was more favored for the 2:1 complex, whereas the tacticities did not change for the 1:1 complex. On the ESR spectroscopy of the polymerization solution under the irradiation of ultraviolet rays at ?120°C, the 1:1 SnCl₄ complex gave a quintet, while the 2:1 SnCl₄ complex gave both a quintet and a sextet. The sextet became weaker with increasing temperature and disappeared at ?60°C. This behavior of the sextet corresponds to the change of the tacticities of polymer for the 2:1 SnCl₄ complex. An intra–intercomplex addition was suggested for the polymerization of the 2:1 complex, which took a cis-configuration on the basis of its infrared spectra. The sextet can be ascribed to the radical formed by the intracomplex addition reaction, while the quintet can correspond to that formed by the intercomplex addition reaction. The proportion of the intracomplex reaction was estimated to be about 0.25 at ?75°C, and the calculated value of the probability of isotactic diad addition of the intracomplex reaction was found to be almost unity.     

Macromers by carbocationic polymerization. IV. Synthesis and characterization of polyisobutenyl methacrylate macromer and its homopolymerization and copolymerization with methyl methacrylate

This article describes the synthesis and characterization of a new macromer, polyisobutenyl methacrylate (PIB-MA), its free-radical homopolymerization and copolymerization with methyl methacrylate (MMA) to afford the graft copolymer poly(methyl methacrylate-g-isobutylene) (PMMA-g-PIB), the characterization of these polymers, and some physical-mechanical (stress-strain) measurements of the graft copolymer. The key intermediate toward the synthesis of the target macromer was the preparation of polyisobutenyl chloride PIB-Cl^t by the minifer technique. As shown by ¹ H-NMR spectroscopy, and independently by IR spectroscopy coupled with M?_n determination, the PIB-MA macromer carries one terminal methacrylate function per polyisobutylene chain. The free-radical homopolymerization of PIB-MA to very high-molecular-weight product was achieved in bulk at 60°C. The free-radical copolymerization of PIB-MA with MMA also occurs readily and is a convenient route to PMMA-g-PIB. The reactivity of PIB-MA is almost identical to that of MMA; however, in highly viscous systems its rate of diffusion to the reaction site is reduced.     

Introduction of 2-methoxycarbonylallyl end group by copolymerization of methyl α-(phenoxymethyl)acrylate accompanying with addition-fragmentation reaction

Copolymerizations of methyl α-(phenoxymethyl)acrylate (MPMA) with methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, styrene, and methyl α-ethylacrylate were carried out. Addition of a polymer radical to MPMA followed by the subsequent fragmentation of poly(MPMA) radical resulted in the 2-methoxycarbonylallyl end group and phenoxy radical in the course of the copolymerization. The extent of the fragmentation determined by ¹H-NMR spectroscopy depends on reactivity of the MPMA radical toward the reference monomers. An increase in the addition rate of the MPMA radical to the reference monomer brought about suppression of the fragmentation. The addition of the MPMA radical to styrene seems to be sufficiently fast to prevent the fragmentation. Since the rate of the fragmentation relative to the propagation was considerably accelerated by raising the temperature to 110°C, MPMA can be used as a novel chain transfer agent to control molecular weight and end group at a temperature above 100°C. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Copolymerization of 2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate with alkyl acrylate monomers

2-Hydroxypropyl methacrylate has been copolymerized with methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, n-butyl acrylate, and methyl methacrylate in bulk at 60°C using benzoyl peroxide as initiator. The compositions of copolymers have been determined by the estimation of the hydroxyl group by acetylation process. The copolymerization parameters have been determined by conventional scheme of copolymerization.