A personal journey on using polymerization in aqueous dispersed media to synthesize polymers with branched structures

Several projects were discussed to demonstrate the intriguing power of radical polymerization in aqueous dispersed media to regulate the branched structures in functional polymeric nanomaterials.     

Pd nanoparticles dispersed on solid supports: synthesis,characterization and catalytic activity on selective hydrogenation of olefins in aqueous media

Two types of Pd nanoparticle catalysts were prepared having 2–4 nm particle size using silica gel and porous polymer beads as solid supports. 2‐Pyridinecarboxaldehyde ligand was anchored on commercially available 3‐aminopropyl‐functionalized silica gel followed by Pd metal dispersion. Bead‐shaped cross‐linked poly(4‐vinylpyridine‐co‐styrene) gel was prepared by an emulsifier‐free emulsion polymerization of 4‐vinylpyridine, styrene and divinylbenzene in the presence of ammonium persulfate and subsequently dispersing the Pd metal on the synthesized polymer. These catalysts were characterized by SEM, TEM and ICP techiniques with respect to appearance, size and possible leaching out, respectively. Furthermore, the reactivity of these catalysts was tested on hydrogenation of various α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl compounds using aqueous solvent under a hydrogen balloon (1 atm). The results showed that the Pd dispersed on silica was a more efficient catalyst than Pd dispersed on polymer and the former could be recycled more than 10 times without considerable loss in activity. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Crosslinking‐induced morphology change of latex nanoparticles: A study of RAFT‐mediated polymerization in aqueous dispersed media using amphiphilic double‐brush copolymers as reactive surfactants

Amphiphilic double‐brush copolymers (DBCs) with each graft site quantitatively carrying both a hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) graft and a hydrophobic polystyrene (PSt) graft are synthesized by sequential reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and ring‐opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP). These DBCs are used as both surfactants and polyfunctional RAFT agents in the radical polymerization of St in aqueous dispersed media. Miniemulsions with narrowly dispersed St‐based nanodroplets are readily obtained after ultrasonication of the reaction mixtures. Without the presence of crosslinker, chain‐extension polymerization of St from the DBCs yields well‐defined polymeric latexes with narrow size distributions. However, with the presence of divinylbenzene (DVB) as the crosslinker, vesicular polymeric nanoparticles are formed as the major product. Such crosslinking‐induced change in morphology of the resulting latex nanomaterials may be ascribed to the increase of interfacial curvature in the heterophase systems during crosslinking polymerization. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 3250–3259     

Intramolecular hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of 1-oxa-1,3-butadienes with terminal acetylenes in aqueous media using CuI

A new method for the preparation of tetracyclic uracils (oxa-helicene) 4 was developed. The intramolecular hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of 1-oxa-1,3-butadiene 3 and an unactivated alkyne in the presence of CuI led to tetracyclic uracils 4 in aqueous media with good yields. The 1-oxa-1,3-butadiene 3 was prepared through Knoevenagel reaction of O-propargylated salicylaldehyde derivatives and barbituric acid or 1,3-dimethylbarbituric acid.     

Viscosity enhancement of complexed solutions formed through the complexation of nonionic water‐soluble polymers with chemically complementary structures in aqueous media

The intermacromolecular complexation of polymers with chemically complementary structures in aqueous media is a new approach to modifying polymer solutions, especially to enhance solution viscosity. In this study, complexed solutions formed through the hydrogen‐bonding complexation of several nonionic water‐soluble polymer pairs—poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) with polyacrylamide (PAM), PAM with poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), PAA with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), and PEO with PVA—were prepared, and the viscosity enhancement of the complexed solutions were studied with vision spectrophotometry and viscometry. The effects of the polymer concentration, polymer molecular weight, and pH value of the polymer solution on the intermacromolecular interactions were investigated through a comparison of the viscosity enhancement factor R of different complexed solutions. The results show that the viscosity of the PAA/PAM complexed solution is much higher than that of its constituents, whereas that of the PAM/PEO and the PAA/PVA complexed solutions are between the viscosities of their constituents but are higher than the theory values calculated from the blending rule of two polymer solutions. These results indicate that in the complexed solutions there exist interactions between the macromolecules with chemically complementary structures, although the interactions are quite different for the different complexed systems. It is the interactions that lead to an association of the polymers and, hence, an obvious enhancement in the solution viscosity and the resistance of the polymer solutions to shearing. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 1069–1077, 2000     

A concise study on dimedone: A versatile molecule in multi-component reactions,an outlook to the green reaction media

Dimedone is an interesting and versatile motif in most organic transformations. Its white to light yellow crystals have been utilized as substrate in wide range of organic reactions including multi-component transformations. The notability of dimedone is due to the acidic property of its methylene group which is in equilibrium with its tautomeric enol form. This phenomena permit dimedone to be utilized in several kinds of organic reactions eventuated to several organic molecules with potent pharmaceutical exclusivity. The mentioned nature of dimedone in addition with its low toxicity, easily accessibility and handling, moisture stability, and low cost make it interesting for organic chemists. During the last decades, perfuming an organic transformation based on green chemistry rules, is in demand. In this review the reactions of dimedone has been focused with an outlook to the solvent of media. Each section has been subdivided respect to the temperature of the transformations. All categorizations has been accomplished to the green media. The authors has also calculated the atom economy of each reaction on behalf of green chemistry concept.