Imidazole‐type thermal latent curing agents with high miscibility for one‐component epoxy thermosetting resins

Epoxy resins are important thermosetting resins widely employed in industrial fields. Although the epoxy–imidazole curing system has attracted attention because of its reactivity, solidification of a liquid epoxy resin containing imidazoles proceeds gradually even at room temperature. This makes it difficult to use them for one‐component epoxy resin materials. Though powder‐type latent curing agents have been used for one‐component epoxy resin materials, they are difficult to apply for fabrication of fine industrial products due to their poor miscibility. To overcome this situation and to improve the shelf life of epoxy–imidazole compositions, we have developed a liquid‐type thermal latent curing agent 1 , generating an imidazole with a thermal trigger via a retro‐Michael addition reaction. The latent curing agent 1 has superior miscibility toward epoxy resins; in addition, it was confirmed that the epoxy resin composition has both high reactivity at 150 °C, and long‐term storage stability at room temperature. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 2680–2688     

Concise preparation of 2,2-difluorohomopropargyl carbonyl derivatives. Application to the synthesis of 4,4-difluoroisoquinolinone congeners

A scalable synthesis of 2,2-difluorohomopropargyl esters was achieved using a magnesium-promoted Barbier reaction of substituted difluoropropargyl bromides with alkyl chloroformates. These 2,2-difluorohomopropargyl esters were effective precursors in the synthesis of homopropargylic amides-by aminolysis using AlMe3, as well as of ketones-through the reaction of the corresponding Weinreb amides with Grignard reagents. Ring closing metathesis using difluorinated 1,7-enyne carbonyl compounds furnished six-membered diene products, which were used as susbstrates in a Diels-Alder reaction to afford 4,4-difluoroisoquinolin-3-ones. The [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition of alkynes with fluorinated 1,7-diyne amides gave 4,4-difluoro-1,4-dihydro-3(2H)-isoquinolinone derivatives regioselectively.     

Lanthanide triflate-catalyzed preparation of beta,beta-difluorohomopropargyl alcohols in aqueous media. Application to the synthesis of 4,4-difluoroisochromans

An indium-mediated Barbier-type reaction of difluoropropargyl bromide with several aldehydes in aqueous media was enhanced by a catalytic amount of a lanthanide triflate (5 mol %). The reaction gave the corresponding beta,beta-difluorohomopropargyl alcohols with high regioselectivity. The [2 + 2 + 2] alkyne cyclotrimerization of beta,beta-difluorohomopropargyl alcohols with monosubstituted acetylenes produced 4,4-difluoroisochromans in good yields with moderate regioselectivity.     

Synthesis of nylon 6–clay hybrid by montmorillonite intercalated with ϵ-caprolactam

It was found that montmorillonite was intercalated with ?-caprolactam. X-ray diffraction revealed that the chain axes of the ?-caprolactam were parallel to the montmorillonite plates. The intercalated montmorillonite was swollen by molten ?-caprolactam at 200°C. ?-Caprolactam and 6-aminocaproic acid (accelerator) were polymerized with the intercalated montmorillonite at 260°C for 6 h, yielding a nylon 6-clay hybrid. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron micrography revealed that the silicate layers of the hybrid were uniformly dispersed in the nylon 6 matrix. Mechanical properties of the hybrid were improved. The strength and the modulus of the hybrid increased compared with the previously reported nylon 6 clay-hybrid (NCH) synthesized by montmorillonite intercalated with 12-aminolauric acid. The heat distortion temperature (HDT) of the hybrid was 164°C, which was 12°C higher than that of NCH. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis,characterization, and properties of polyurethanes containing 1,4:3,6‐dianhydro‐D‐sorbitol

Two‐ and three‐component polyurethanes containing 1,4:3,6‐dianhydro‐D ‐sorbitol (isosorbide) derived from glucose were synthesized using n‐BuSn(?O)OH·H₂O as a catalyst, and the thermal properties (T_g, T_d) of the polymers were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. We carried out molds for polyurethanes, the molds of polyurethanes were obtained. The dynamic mechanical analyzes showed that the storage modulus values of the three‐component polymers were constant to a higher temperature than those of the two‐component polymers. The storage moduli (E′), loss moduli (E″), and values of tan δ for the polymers were obtained. The rigidity of three‐component polymers was increased by the introduction of bisphenol A and diphenylmethane group to two‐component polymer. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 6025–6031, 2009     

Hybridization between oxy-peptide nucleic acids and DNAs: dependence of hybrid stabilities on the chain-lengths, types of base pairs, and the chain directions.

Oxy-peptide nucleic acids (OPNAs) of [-NH-CH(CH2-CH2-Base)-CH2-O-CH2-CO-]-type main chain with four different types of nucleobases (Base = A, G, C, and U) or with an abasic side group (X) were synthesized. Melting curves of the 1:1 hybrids of o(A(n))-d(Tn)) pairs with n = 6, 9, 12, and 15 showed very sharp transitions at high Tm values, particularly for long chains, indicating that nearly optimum matching is attained in the structure of the o(A(n))-d(Tn) hybrids. Effect of different types of base pairs on the hybrid stabilities was examined for the o(A4NA4)-d(T4N'T4) 1:1 mixtures where N is A, G, C, U, or X and N' is A, G, C, or T. In all series of the hybrids the complementary pairs showed the highest Tm values. The Tm values of the complementary pairs were about 35 degrees C when purine bases were inserted as the N group in the OPNA, but they were 20-23 degrees C when pyrimidine bases were inserted. The melting curves of the hybrids with a single mismatch were similar to those with a single X-N' pair, suggesting that the mismatch base pairs have been ignored in the hybrids. All complementary OPNA-DNA hybrids showed higher Tm values and sharper transitions than the corresponding DNA-DNA hybrids. The OPNA-DNA hybrids favor a parallel direction i.e., the N-terminal of OPNA is directed to the 5'-terminal of DNA.     

Statistical Mechanical Theory of Bimolecular Reaction. Derivation of the Arrhenius Law. Characterization of a Catalyst

A statistical mechanical theory is developed for gas-phase bimolecular (binary) reactions: AB ⇌ A + B. Based on the activated-complex hypotheses, and expression for the association rate constant k_a is derived: k_a = k*_{AB* → AB} (QAB*/q_A+B), where k*_{AB* →AB} is the rate constant for the transition from the activated state AB* to the molecular state AB, and qx is the equilibrium occupation probability for state X. The three states (AB, AB*, A + B) are defined by three regions of the energyseparation plane for the relative motion of the reactant pair (A, B). If the interatomic potential has a critical barrier ϵ_c at separation r_c and an attractive well with depth ϵ_b (ϵ_c, ϵ_b > k_BT) computations of the q_AB*/q_{A +B} generate an Arrhenius-Boltzmann factor exp (—ϵ_c/k_BT). The virtual rate constant k*_{AB* →AB} is calculated by assuming that the reactant pair reaching the activated state AB* with the separation r < r_c and the energy E > _c moves on to the molecular state AB only if it loses part of its radial kinetic energy with the aid of third body (catalyst or collision) and is trapped by the potential well. With no catalysts present, this constant is approximately given by k*_{AB* →AB} =πd′²v′ R′⁻³, where v′ is the thermal center-of-mass speed, and d′ and R′ are respectively the collision-sphere radius and the mean distance between AB* and any molecule (A, B, AB or AB*). For binary dissociation, the rate constant k_d is given by k_d = k*_{AB* →A+B} q_AB*/q_AB), which generates exp [—(ϵ_c + ϵ_b)/k_BT]. A catalyst for binary reaction is assumed to act as a mediator, facilitating the energy exchange between the radial and rotational modes of motion. Additionally for association only, it also acts as a confinement agent, preventing the pair from flying away from each other. Connections with the collision theory and the activated complex theory are discussed critically.     

Poly[(cis‐3‐(ethanesulfonyloxy)‐2‐pinanyl methacrylate)‐co‐(tert‐butyl methacrylate)] as an acid‐amplifying photoresist

Synthesis and characteristics of novel copolymers bearing both acid amplifier and acid‐sensitive units are described. The acid amplifier units in the polymer side chains were acidolytically transformed to sulfonic acid residues, leading to the deprotection of the acid‐labile tert‐butyl ester side chains introduced as a comonomer unit. The copolymer was 3.2 times more sensitive than poly(tert‐butyl methacrylate) in the presence of a photoacid generator and, therefore, provides practical applicability for photoimaging.