Synthesis of new hybrid monomers and oligomers containing cationic and radical polymerizable vinyl groups and their photoinitiated polymerization

New hybrid vinyl monomers with both cationic- and radical-polymerizable vinyl groups were synthesized by the reaction of bis[1(chloromethyl)-2-(vinyloxy)ethyl]terephthalate ( 3 ) with unsaturated carboxylic acids using 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]-undecene-7 (DBU) as a base. The reaction of 3 with methacrylic acid 4a was carried out using DBU in DMSO at 70°C for 24 h to give an 86% yield of the hybrid vinyl monomer ( 5a ). Polycondensation of 3 with unsaturated dicarboxylic acids was also performed using DBU to give hybrid vinyl oligomers with radical polymerizable C (DOUBLE BOND) C groups (V_R) in the main chain and cationic polymerizable vinyl ether moieties (V_C) on the side chain. The photopolymerization of these hybrid vinyl compounds proceeded smoothly in bulk using either a cationic photoinitiator such as a sulfonium salt or a radical photoinitiator such as acyl phosphine oxide under UV irradiation. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

New polymers with mesogens in the side chain and kinked aromatic structures in the main chain from the polyaddition of bis(epoxide)s and di(ester)s

Nine polymers with kinked aromatic structures in the main chain and biphenylene‐type mesogenic groups in the side chain were synthesized by the polyaddition of bis(epoxide)s and thio‐ and O‐esters. Tetrabutylphosphonium chloride and tetraphenylphosphonium chloride effectively catalyzed the polymerization. The thermal behavior of the polymers was measured by DSC and polarizing optical microscopy. The effect of annealing time on the degree of crystallization was investigated by DSC analysis. Polymers containing 100% of the kinked aromatic groups and 1,3‐propylene glycol in the main chain were amorphous. However, when half of the main‐chain aromatic moieties were composed of kinked groups and the other half of the aromatics were linear rodlike groups, the polymers were crystalline. The incorporation of kinked groups into the main chain of side‐chain liquid‐crystalline polymers suppressed the formation of liquid crystallinity. The polymer with mesogenic aromatic structures in both the main chain and the side chain was capable of forming a liquid‐crystalline phase. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 988–998, 2000     

Lead‐Free Solar Cells based on Tin Halide Perovskite Films with High Coverage and Improved Aggregation

Two simple methods to improve tin halide perovskite film structure are introduced, aimed at increasing the power conversion efficiency of lead free perovskite solar cells. First, a hot antisolvent treatment (HAT) was found to increase the film coverage and prevent electrical shunting in the photovoltaic device. Second, it was discovered that annealing under a low partial pressure of dimethyl sulfoxide vapor increased the average crystallite size. The topographical and electrical qualities of the perovskite films are substantively improved as a result of the combined treatments, facilitating the fabrication of tin‐based perovskite solar cell devices with power conversion efficiencies of over 7 %.     

Synthesis of photocrosslinkable hyperbranched polyesters and their film properties

Hyperbranched polyesters with terminal methacryloyl groups (HBPEAc) were synthesized by the one‐pot polyaddition of bisphenol A diglycidyl ether and trimesic acid in the presence of methacrylic acid with a number‐average molecular weights of 5100–7700 in 70–83% yields. The photoradical polymerization of HBPEAc was examined in the presence of 2‐methyl‐1‐[4‐(methylthio)phenyl]‐2‐morpholinopropan‐2‐one (Irgacure 907®) as a photoinitiator in the film state upon UV irradiation to afford the corresponding cured films quantitatively. The crosslinking densities of the cured films of HBPEAc were higher than those of the corresponding linear ones, and birefringence cannot be detected for the cured films of HBPEAc because of their random structures. Furthermore, an alkaline‐developable hyperbranched polyester containing pendant carboxyl groups (HBPEAc‐COOH) was prepared by the addition reaction of HBPEAc with cis‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydrophthalic anhydride, and its patterning properties were examined to give the resolution of a 55‐μm‐line and 275‐μm‐space pattern by UV irradiation with 700 mJ/cm². © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 4642–4653, 2005     

Synthesis of macrocycles by the ring‐crossover reaction of a cyclic dithioester

The ring‐crossover polymerization of cyclic dithioester 1 was performed in the presence of quaternary onium salts as catalysts at 70–150 °C for 24 h in NMP. It was found that predictable cyclic polymers with the same repeating structures as 1 were obtained with M_ns in the range between 700 and 3,500, quantitatively. It was observed that intermolecular and intramolecular thioester‐exchange reactions proceeded between cyclic monomer 1 and resulting cyclic polymers under thermodynamic control to give a lower‐molecular‐weight cyclic polymer with a lower polydispersity ratio (M_n = 2,400, M_w/M_n = 1.70). © 2006Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 680–687, 2007     

The use of organophotoacids for deprotection reactions in organic synthesis

o-Hydroxymethylphenol was found to be an effective and environmentally benign organophotoacid. An increased acidity in the excited state, induced by photoirradiation, was sufficient for the deprotection of several protecting groups which are widely used in organic synthesis.     

Synthesis and chemical modification of hyperbranched polyethers with terminal hydroxy groups by the anionic ring‐opening polymerization of 3‐alkyl‐3‐hydroxymethyl oxetanes

The anionic ring‐opening polymerization of oxetanes containing hydroxyl groups was carried out with potassium tert‐butoxide as an initiator in the presence of 18‐crown‐6‐ether in N‐methylpyrrolidinone at 180 °C; it yielded corresponding multifunctional hyperbranched polymers: poly(3‐ethyl‐3‐hydroxymethyloxetane)s, with number‐average molecular weights of 2200–4100 in 83–95% yields, and poly(3‐methyl‐3‐hydroxymethyloxetane)s, with number‐average molecular weights of 4600–5200 in 70–95% yields. The synthesized poly(3‐ethyl‐3‐hydroxymethyloxetane)s and poly(3‐methyl‐3‐hydroxymethyloxetane)s were hyperbranched polyethers containing an oxetane moiety and many hydroxy groups at the ends. The postpolymerization of poly(3‐ethyl‐3‐hydroxymethyloxetane)s was performed in the presence of potassium tert‐butoxide and 18‐crown‐6‐ether in N‐methylpyrrolidinone at 180 °C; it yielded corresponding polymers with higher molecular weights in good yields. The cationic polymerization of poly(3‐ethyl‐3‐hydroxymethyloxetane) derivatives was carried out with boron trifluoride etherate as an initiator and was followed by alkaline hydrolysis; this yielded a new branched polymer, a poly(hyperbranched polyether), with many pendant hydroxy groups. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 3739–3750, 2004     

Synthesis and thermal self-crosslinking reaction of polymer containing spiro ortho ester and carboxylic acid

Polymers with both pendant spiro ortho ester and carboxylic acid moieties were synthesized by partial esterification of poly(methacrylic acid), poly(methacrylic acid-co-methyl methacrylate), or poly(methacrylic acid-co-styrene) with halomethylated spiro ortho esters in the presence of 1,8-diazabicyclo[5,4,0]undecene-7 in dimethyl sulfoxide. The extent of esterification increased with increasing reaction temperature. The reaction of polymeric carboxylic acids with chloromethylated spiro ortho esters proceeded to 80% of conversion at 100°C for 120 h. In contrast, the degree of esterification with bromomethylated spiro ortho ester reached 80% at 60°C within 24 h. Thermo-crosslinking of polymers having pendant spiro ortho ester moiety and carboxylic acid could be effected in films. The rate of spiro ortho ester ring-opening increased with increasing reaction temperature and with increasing content of carboxylic acid groups in the polymer. Further, the rates of gel production were also measured. The polymer containing an equimolar mixture of spiro ortho ester moieties and carboxylic acids exhibited the highest reactivity. In addition, it was found that thermal crosslinking reaction of the polymer occurred with minimum volume shrinkage.