Synthesis,characterization, and enzymatic degradation of network aliphatic copolyesters

Network copolyesters were prepared from glycerol (Yg) and sebacic acid (10) with 10–90 mol % of either succinic acid (4), 1,12-dodecanedicarboxylic acid (14), 1,18-octadecanedicarboxylic acid (20), or terephthalic acid (T). Prepolymers prepared by melt-polycondensation were cast from dimethylformamide solution and postpolymerized at 230–250°C for various periods of time to form a network. The resultant films were transparent, flexible, and insoluble in organic solvents. The network copolyesters obtained were characterized by infrared absorption spectra, wide angle X-ray diffraction analysis, density measurement, thermomechanical analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and tensile test. The enzymatic degradation was estimated by weight loss of the network copolyester films in a buffer solution with Rhizopus delemar lipase at 37°C. The weight loss due to the enzymatic degradation was decreased with increasing comonomer content, and the copolyesters with Yg4, Yg20 and YgT more than 50 mol % were not degraded by lipase enzyme at all. On the contrary, Yg-10/14 films were degraded appreciably over whole range of comonomer composition. With increasing comonomer content, the heat distortion temperature increased gradually, while the tensile strength and Young's modulus were not changed much. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 2005–2011, 1999     

Morphospecific polymer from the copolymerization of trioxane and ethylene oxide

Recently, we have observed the following phenomena during the copolymerization of trioxane and ethylene oxide using a boron trifluoride initiator. In almost all of the polymerization cases, all polymers were soluble in a p-chlorophenol-tetrachloroethane mixed solvent at 90°C. However, in some polymerization cases, a small portion of the polymer was insoluble at this temperature, and this mixed solvent-insoluble fraction showed a higher melting point than that of the other fractions. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) photographs of the polymer showed that a highly fibrous structure was formed for the mixed solvent-insoluble fraction, and this highly packed structure is thought to be the origin of the high melting fraction. The nature of this high melting fraction was further examined using X-ray diffraction and Raman spectra. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 2479–2486, 1997     

Separation and enzymatic degradation of blend films of poly(L-lactic acid) and cellulose

Blend films of poly(L -lactic acid) (PLLA) and cellulose with various composition was prepared by casting from trifluoroacetic acid solution. One hydroxyl group per each glucose unit was esterified by trifluoroacetic acid. The trifluoroacetyl group was hydrolyzed completely during the degradation. Weight losses for 90/10 and 75/25 PLLA/cellulose blends by proteinaze K were greatly increased compared with pure PLLA sample due to the large depression of the crystallinity of PLLA component, while cellulase was effective only for the degradation of pure cellulose film. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 1861–1864, 1998     

Rhodium(I)-Catalyzed Regioselective Ring- Expanding Rearrangement of Allenylcyclopropanes into Methylenecyclopentenes

A highly regioselective C–C bond cleavage of the cyclopropane rings occurs in substituted allenylcyclopropanes in the presence of cationic rhodium(I ) complexes. Thus, ring expansion of readily accessible allenylcyclopropanes can be achieved to give 3-methylenecyclopentenes, which could have applications as multifunctional synthetic building blocks.     

Vinyl polymerization. 361. Polymerization of 2,2,4-trimethyl-3-on-1-pentyl methacrylate

2,2,4-Trimethyl-3-on-1-pentyl methacrylate (TMPM) was first synthesized from the condensation reaction of 2,2,4-trimethyl-1-pentanol-3-on with methacrylic acid. Second, the polymerization of TMPM and the copolymerization of TMPM with styrene (St) were carried out in benzene at 60°C, using 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as an initiator. As the result of kinetic investigation, the rate of polymerization (R_p) could be expressed by: R_p = k[AIBN]^0.5 [TMPM]^1.0. Kinetic constants of polymerization of TMPM were obtained as follows: k_p/k = 0.27 dm^3/2 mole^?1/2 sec^?1/2, 2fk_d = 1.23 × 10^?5 sec^?1, f = 0.73, C_m = 2.6 × 10^?5, C_s = 1.1 × 10^?5. From the results the reactivity of TMPM was found to be larger than that of methyl methacrylate. The overall activation energy was calculated to be 110 kJ mole^?1. The following monomer reactivity ratios and Q, e values were obtained: TMPM(M₁) ? St(M₂): r₁ = 1.50, r₂ = 0.14, Q₁ = 2.63, E₁ = 0.45.