Solid‐state nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation times in crosslinked macroporous polymer particles of divinylbenzene homopolymers

Monodisperse porous particles of poly(divinylbenzene) prepared by the activated swelling method have been investigated by solid‐state ¹³C crosspolarization magic‐angle spinning (CPMAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation measurements. Homopolymeric combinations of two porogens (toluene and 2‐ethylhexanoic acid) and two monomers (meta‐ and para‐divinylbenzene) were studied. Residual vinyl groups were systematically reacted with increasing amounts of bromine, producing 20 different polymers samples for which we measured crosspolarization times, T_CH, proton rotating frame spin‐lattice relaxation, T, ¹³C spin‐lattice relaxation, T, and proton spin‐lattice relaxation, T. These parameters were chosen to reflect expected changes in a wide range of frequencies of motion as a function of structure. Relative differences in the molecular mobility of the major functional groups (aromatic, vinyl and aliphatic) is related to initial reactants used, vinyl concentration, relative reactivity of vinyl groups, distribution of vinyl groups, pore structure, and degree of crosslinking. Variable temperature ¹H combined rotation and multiple pulse NMR (CRAMPS) was used to derive activation energies for selected samples via measurement of the proton spin‐lattice relaxation time, T. Irreversible thermal effects were observed in ambient temperature relaxation after heating to temperatures in the range of 393–418 K. Simple univariate statistical analyses failed to reveal consistent correlations among the known variables. However, the application of more sophisticated multivariate and neural network analyses allowed excellent structure–property predictions to be made from the relaxation time data. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 1307–1328, 1999     

Synthesis of thermotropic LCPs using p‐methoxycarbonyloxy aromatic acids

4‐Methoxycarbonyloxybenzoic acid (MCOBA) and 6‐methoxycarbonyloxy‐2‐naphthoic acid (MCONA) were synthesized as new monomers to replace 4‐acetoxybenzoic acid (ABA) and 6‐acetoxy‐2‐naphthoic acid (ANA) in the synthesis of liquid crystal polymers. MCOBA and MCONA (73 : 27, mol : mol) were reacted at temperatures ranging from 220 to 325°C in bulk. The copolymer (M_w = 14,200) has a T_g (90°C) and a T_m (249°C). The MCOBA/MCONA copolymer is lighter in color than the ABA/ANA copolymer. During the copolymerization, six by‐products were collected, isolated, and analyzed, and their formation was investigated. The copolymerization rate was studied by the measurement of evolved carbon dioxide. The polymerization of MCOBA and MCONA is cleaner and faster than the polymerization of ABA and ANA. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 1703–1707, 1999     

Effect of lithium perchlorate on the spontaneous copolymerization of 4‐vinylpyridine with various electron‐rich vinyl monomers

The spontaneous copolymerization of 4‐vinylpyridine (4‐VP) activated with lithium perchlorate (LiClO₄) with various electron rich monomers (p‐methoxystyrene, MeOSt; p‐methylstyrene, MeSt; styrene, St) was investigated in various solvent systems at 75°C. Increasing the LiClO₄ concentration and the nucleophilicity of the electron rich monomer increased the copolymer yields. Both ¹H‐NMR and elemental analysis confirmed the almost 1:1 copolymer structure for VP/MeOSt system which possessed high molecular weight and narrow polydispersity (PDI). Compared to 4‐VP activated with zinc chloride, LiClO₄ systems showed slightly lower yields and much narrower PDI. We also investigated the spontaneous copolymerization of 4‐VP activated with various protic acids in the reaction with various electron rich comonomers. However, generally protic salt forms showed less solubility in organic solvents and showed low molecular weight polymer products with low yields. The proposed initiation mechanism exhibits the formation of a σ‐bond between the β‐carbons of the two donor‐acceptor monomers, creating the 1,4‐tetramethylene biradical intermediate initiating the copolymerization. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 1709–1716, 1999     

Fibers from a low dielectric constant fluorinated polyimide: Solution spinning and morphology control

Control of the internal morphology of wet-spun fibers from a fluorinated polyimide has been achieved by varying the rate of polymer coagulation through adjustments in nonsolvent/solvent miscibility and precipitation strength of the coagulation bath. Filament internal morphologies ranged from very porous or sponge-like to fully solid. Intermediate structures included fibers containing a spongy core with a nonporous skin, sponge-like fibers containing large voids, and a relatively solid material containing randomly spaced small voids. The cross-sectional shape of the fiber is dependent upon the coagulation process as well as the volume contraction of the initial extrudate. Drawn fibers (3×) retained the original asspun cross-sectional shape and also lost porosity. Mechanical properties of poly(6FDA-4BDAF) fibers have an inverse relationship to filament porosity. Maximum modulus and break strength for drawn fibers is approximately 6 CPa and 200 MPa, respectively. Asspun mechanical properties were dependent upon the processing conditions and have moduli between 0.4–3.0 Gpa and break strengths of 10–160 MPa. A dielectric constant of 2.50 for nonporous films was measured over a frequency range between 1.0 MHz to 1.8 GHz, showing little dispersion. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Kinetics of the reactions of OH radicals with some oxygenated volatile organic compounds under simulated atmospheric conditions

Some relative rate experiments have been carried out at room temperature and at atmospheric pressure. This concerns the OH-oxidation of some oxygenated volatile organic compounds including methanol (k₁), ethanol (k₂), MTBE (k₃), ethyl acetate (k₄), n-propyl acetate (k₅), isopropyl acetate (k₆), n-butyl acetate (k₇), isobutyl acetate (k₈), and t-butyl acetate (k₉). The experiments were performed in a Teflon-film bag smog chamber. The rate constants obtained are (in cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹): k₁=(0.90±0.08)×10⁻¹²; k₂=(3.88±0.11)×10⁻¹²; k₃=(2.98±0.06)×10⁻¹²; k₄=(1.73±0.20)×10⁻¹²; k₅=(3.56±0.15)×10⁻¹²; k₆=(3.97±0.18)×10⁻¹²; k₇=(5.78±0.15)×10⁻¹²; k₈=(6.77±0.30)×10⁻¹²; and k₉=(0.56±0.11)×10⁻¹². The agreement between the obtained rate constants and some previously published data has allowed for most of the studied compounds to point out a coherent group of values and to suggest recommended values. Atmospheric implications are also discussed. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 30: 839–847, 1998     

A New Series of Proton/Charge Transfer Molecules: Synthesis and Spectral Studies of 2-(5-Aryl-1-carbomethoxy-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)phenols

Abstract. The carbomethoxyhydrazone of 2'-hydroxyacetophenone was trilithiated with excess lithium diisopropylamide and C-acylated with a variety of benzoate esters followed by acid cyclization of the intermediates to 2-(5-aryl-l-car-bomethoxy-lHpyrazol-3-yl)phenols [3-(2-hydroxyphen-yl)-lH-pyrazoles]. The products were characterized by Fourier transform-IR, ^lH NMR, ¹³C NMR, UV-visible absorption and fluorescence. All the derivatives in n -heptane have an absorption maximum at ˜304 nm and an extremely weak (φ_r= 10 ⁴) fluorescence with maxima in the range of 335–460 nm. The broad range of fluorescence maxima and fluorescence quantum yields is attributed to varying contributions of charge transfer that are dependent on both the identity of the substituent and solvent polarity. A phenomenally large Stokes-shifted fluorescence maximum at 620 nm was observed for 2-(l-car-bomethoxy-5-[4-dimethylaminophenyl]-lff-pyrazol-3-y1)phenol in n-heptane and attributed to excited-state intramolecular proton transfer. As a result, competitive excited-state proton/charge transfer properties have been observed in the pyrazoles studied, of which the spectral properties can be fine tuned by substituent as well as solvent effects.     

The sesquiterpenoid nootkatone and the absolute configuration of a di­bromo derivative

Nootkatone, or (4R,4aS,6R)‐4,4a,5,6,7,8‐hexa­hydro‐4,4a‐di­methyl‐6‐(1‐methyl­ethenyl)­naphthalen‐2(3H)‐one, C₁₅H₂₂O, a sesquiterpene with strong repellent properties against Formosan subterranean termites and other insects, has the valencene skeleton. The di­bromo derivative (1S,3R,4S,4aS,6R,8aR)‐1,3‐di­bromo‐6‐iso­propyl‐4,4a‐di­methyl‐1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8‐octa­hydro­naphthalen‐2‐one, C₁₅H₂₄Br₂O, has two independent mol­ecules in the asymmetric unit, which differ in the rotation of the iso­propyl group with respect to the main skeleton. The C—Br distances are in the range 1.950 (4)–1.960 (4) Å. Both independent molecules form zigzag chains, with very short intermolecular carbonyl–carbonyl interactions, having the perpendicular motif and O⋯C distances of 2.886 (6) and 2.898 (6) Å. These chains are flanked by intermolecular Br⋯Br interactions of distances in the range 4.067 (1)–4.218 (1) Å. The absolute configuration of the di­bromo derivative was determined, from which that of nootkatone was inferred.