Synthesis and polymerizability of CN monomers

The synthesis and polymerizability of imine C?N monomers is surveyed. The investigated imines were either far more reactive than similarly substituted C?C or C?O monomers, or too stable to polymerize. Imines with electron‐attracting substituents on N favor polymerization by anionic mechanism, but led only to low molecular weight polymers. Imines with a donor substituent on N, such as N‐arylmethyleneimines, polymerized by cationic or anionic mechanism. 1‐ and 2‐Aza‐1,3‐butadienes were also rather unstable and polymerized to oligomers. The symmetrically substituted 2,3‐diaza‐1,3‐butadienes could be purified and polymerized successfully using anionic initiators, resulting in both 1,4‐ and 1,2‐structures in the polymer backbone, depending on the substituents. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Substituent effects on the polycondensation of quinones with aromatic amines to form poly(quinone imine)s

The effect of alkyl groups on the polycondensation of aromatic diamines and quinones to form poly(quinone imine)s was investigated. Models were synthesized under standard conditions: 1 equiv of quinone was reacted with 2 equiv of aniline in the presence of titanium tetrachloride and 1,4‐diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane. Only modest yields of diimines were obtained when alkyl substituents were introduced. Likewise, alkyl substituents were harmful in the polycondensation of both anthraquinones and benzoquinones with aromatic diamines. As for fluorine substituents, model reactions with either 1,5‐difluoroanthraquinone or 1,4‐difluoroanthraquinone with aniline proceeded in high yields. These model compounds for aromatic poly(quinone imine)s were characterized with ¹H NMR spectroscopy, ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopy, variable‐temperature ¹H NMR spectroscopy, and X‐ray crystal structure determination. Polymers of the difluoroanthraquinones with aromatic diamines were obtained in high yields, although not in high molecular weights, and no stereocontrol was found. Both p‐benzoquinones and anthraquinones were used as monomers in these polymerizations, and a fundamental difference in reactivity was observed. With the former, the polymerization behaved as a classical polycondensation and demanded exact reagent equivalence. With the anthraquinones, however, the polymerization proceeded by a condensation chain polymerization and was much more forgiving. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 43–54, 2002     

Charge transfer complexes of polyimines containing trans-1,2-bis-9-carbazolylcyclobutane

Polyimines containing trans-1,2-bis-9-carbazolylcyclobutane (CzD) and a spacer of a variable number of methylene groups (3–10 and 12) were synthesized from the diformylated CzD and the corresponding aliphatic diamine. The charge transfer complexes (CTCs) of these polyimines with electron-acceptors such as tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) and 2,4,7-trinitro-9-fluorenone (TNF) were analyzed in solution and in the solid state using electronic and CP-MAS ¹³C-NMR spectra. Model studies indicate that TCNE does not form a stable complex in the solid state with CzD, while TNF forms a complex in the molar ratio of 1 : 1. Solid-state CTCs of the polyimines with either acceptor retain some solvent which helps in formation of some supramolecular organization. After the solvent is eliminated the CTCs are amorphous and do not show decomplexation. Cross-polarization experiments and T_1ρH measurements in the solid-state NMR spectra demonstrate that the polymer CTCs are very mobile, with a solution-like behavior. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Condensation routes to polyaniline and its analogs

To obtain polyanilines which are more structurally perfect than those obtainable by the oxidation of anilines, polycondensation procedures were investigated. Model reactions gave extensive information about yields and about the physical properties of the putative structural polymer units. Condensation of anthraquinones with aromatic diamines using titanium tetrachloride and the unique base, 1,4‐diazabicyclo‐[2.2.2]‐octane Dabco, gave high molecular weight orange polyquinonimines. Alkoxy groups on the anthraquinone ring aided solubility and molecular weight, and appropriately positioned alkoxy groups afforded stereoregular polymers. A bisthiophene benzoquinone also polymerized successfully. Application of the same procedure to 2,5‐dimethyl‐p‐benzoquinone gave stereoregular poly(arylene benzoquinonimines), close analogs of pernigrani line. The factors causing problems in achieving high yields and high molecular weight were identified. Recent synthetic developments in this field are discussed. Reduction of the obtained polyquinonimines proceeded smoothly to the leucoemeraldine analogs. Unlike the results from pernigraniline obtained by oxidative polymerization, no evidence for the formation of the electrically conductive emeraldine form was obtained. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 4751–4763, 2007     

Microstructure and protonic conductivity of H3PO4‐doped polyethylenimine–siloxane chemically covalently organic–inorganic hybrids

The chemically covalent polyethylenimine–siloxane hybrids doped with various amounts of ortho‐phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄) were prepared and characterized by FTIR, DSC, TGA, and solid‐state NMR spectra. The protonic conduction behavior of these materials was also investigated by means of impedance measurements. These observations indicate that the hydrogen bonding and protonic interactions exist between the dopant H₃PO₄ and the hybrid host, resulting in an increase in T _g of polyethylenimine segments. These hybrids are thermally stable up to 200 °C from TGA analysis. Conductivity studies show an Arrhenius behavior characteristic and the Grotthus‐like proton conduction, and a high conductivity of 10^?2–10^?3 S cm^?1 at 110 °C in dry atmosphere for the hybrid membrane with H₃PO₄/EI of 0.5. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 2135–2144, 2006     

Alternated π‐conjugated polymers based on a 1,2‐diiminocyclohexane chiral unit for nitroaromatics sensing

The detection of 2,4‐dinitrotoluene (DNT) by fluorescence quenching of a new class of polyimines consisting in π‐conjugated segments regularly alternated with chiral C₂ symmetry units has been studied for solutions and thin films. Their photophysical properties and their sensitivity towards DNT detection has been compared to those of a small model molecule incorporating the same π‐conjugated segment. In solution, all the compounds exhibit the same photo‐physical properties and sensitivity towards DNT detection. In contrast, for thin films, better performances are observed in static conditions for this new class of polyimines compared to the small model molecule. It seems that C₂ symmetry units prevent from the stacking of the π‐conjugated segments and provide in addition to high fluorescence signal an improved diffusion of the analyte inside the films. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 4141–4149, 2009     

Imine polymers containing chiral nanohoops in the backbone obtained through [2 + 2] cyclocondensation

A simple method for synthesis of polymers containing shape persistent imine macrocycles as nanohoops in the main chain is studied. It is based on the cyclocondensation reaction carried out in solution and room temperature of triphenylamine-based tetraaldehyde compounds with (R,R)-trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane. The pristine polymer P1 bearing long alkyl groups is soluble during the synthesis but becomes insoluble after precipitation due to the strong and multiple C H/π and π-π stacking intermolecular interactions from arene–arene species and entanglement and interpenetrating of flexible alkyl groups inside of rigid macrocycle hollow. Polymer without any solubilizing groups ( P2 ) separates during the polymerization as an insoluble material. Both polymers are amorphous and have good thermal and environmental stability. They have a low surface area because discrete nanovoids introduced by macrocycles are disconnected in the amorphous polymers and non-accessible for gas adsorption. Polymers have inherent luminescent properties due to triphenylamine groups and chirality derived from (R,R)-conformation of the cyclohexane skeleton. In presence of picric acid (PA), the polymer fluorescence in solid state or suspension is strongly quenched, thus the polymers can work as efficient fluorescent probes toward nitrophenolic compounds. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018 , 56, 2565–2573     

Recent Advances in the Synthesis and Applications of Nitrogen-Containing Macrocycles

Macrocyclic nitrogen-containing compounds are versatile molecules. Supramolecular, noncovalent interactions of these macrocycles with guest molecules enables them to act as catalysts, fluorescent sensors, chiral or nonchiral selectors, or receptors of small molecules. In the solid state, they often display a propensity to form inclusion compounds. All of these properties are usually closely connected with the presence of nitrogen atoms in the macrocyclic ring. As most of the reviews published so far on macrocycles were written from the viewpoint of functional groups, synthetic methods, or the structure, search methods for literature reports in terms of the physicochemical properties of these compounds may be unobvious. In this minireview, the emphasis was put on the synthesis and applications of nitrogen-containing macrocyclic compounds, as they differ from their acyclic analogs, and at the same time are the driving force for further research.     

Synergetic activation of carbon dioxide molecule using phenylazomethine dendrimers as a catalyst

Phenylazomethine dendrimers bearing a cobalt porphyrin core act as catalysts for CO₂ reduction in the presence of a strong Lewis acid such as lanthanide trifluoromethanesulfonate (Ln(OTf)₃). We investigated the catalytic activity using electrochemical measurements (cyclic voltammetry) on a glassy carbon electrode in a DMF solution. Dissolving CO₂ gas into the solution, the cyclic voltammograms displayed an irreversible increase of the cathodic current. This result suggests the catalytic reduction of CO₂. The redox potential (–1.3 V versus Fc/Fc⁺) at which the catalytic behavior was observed is 1.1 V higher than that catalyzed by cobalt tetraphenylporphyrin (CoTPP). The generation number (n) dependence of the dendrimer catalysts showed the maximum activity at n = 3. A significant decrease of the activity for the largest dendrimer (n = 4) indicates a steric effect, which prevents transmission of the substrate (CO₂ molecule) and electrons to the catalytic center (cobalt porphyrin core). For more efficient catalysis, a novel open-shell dendrimer having a pocket on one side of the molecule was designed and synthesized. Because the accessibility to the core in the opened shell improved, this dendrimer exhibited the highest catalytic activity. These results suggest that tuning of the local domain around the cobalt porphyrin center would lead to a decisive solution for further activation of the CO₂ molecule. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 5229–5236, 2006     

Macrocyclic and Polymeric Oxaziridine‐Derivatives

Macrocyclic and polymeric imines 5,5′ and 6,6′ are obtained in excellent yields by template‐free polycondensation of 1,6‐bis(4‐formylbenzoyloxy)hexane (1) with commercially available 4,4′‐methylene‐bis(cyclohexylamine) (2) and with bis(2‐amino‐2‐methylprop‐1‐yl)adipate dihydrochloride (4), respectively. The degree of macrocyclization during imine synthesis strongly depends on the diamine. Matrix‐assisted laser desorption–ionization time‐of‐flight (MALDI‐TOF) mass spectrometry analysis and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) measurements show that (2) leads to more macrocyclic adducts than (4). The subsequent meta‐chloroperoxybenzoic acid oxidation of polyimines 5,5′ and 6,6′ ( = 1650–11 200 g mol⁻¹, = 3800–27 350 g mol⁻¹) yields the corresponding polyoxaziridines 7,7′ and 8,8′ consisting of macrocyclic and linear polymeric structures ( = 1750–8050 g mol⁻¹, = 3250–15 800 g mol⁻¹). The synthesized polyoxaziridines are relatively stable and storable at room temperature.