Acrylonitrile-vinyl chloride alternating

There is a tendency toward alternation in the copolymerization of ethylene with carbon monoxide. Copolymerizations of carbon monoxide with tetrafluoroethylene, vinyl acetate, vinyl chloride, and acrylonitrile have been reported but with few details [Starkweather, 1987]. The reactions of alkenes with oxygen and quinones are not well defined in terms of the stoichiometry of the products. These reactions are better classified as retardation or inhibition reactions because of the very slow copolymerization rates (Sec. 3-7a). Other copolymerizations include the reaction of alkene monomers with sulfur and nitroso compounds [Green et al., 1967 Miyata and Sawada, 1988]. 

One of the most important challenges in the modern chemical industry is represented by the development of new processes aimed at the exploitation of alternative raw materials, in replacement of technologies that make use of building blocks derived from oil (olefins and aromatics). This has led to a scientific activity devoted to the valorization of natural gas components, through catalytic, environmentally benign processes of transformation (1). Examples include the direct exoenthalpic transformation of methane to methanol, DME or formaldehyde, the oxidation of ethane to acetic acid or its oxychlorination to vinyl chloride, the oxidation of propane to acrylic acid or its ammoxidation to acrylonitrile, the oxidation of isobutane to... 

Other commercial copolymers which are typically random are those of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate (Vinylite), isobutylene and isoprene (butyl rubber), styrene and butadiene (SBR), and acrylonitrile and butadiene (NBR). The accepted nomenclature is illustrated by EP, which is designated poly-ethylene-co-propylene the co designating that the polymer is a copolymer. When the copolymers are arranged in a regular sequence in the chains, i.e., ABAB, the copolymer is called an alternating copolymer. A copolymer consisting of styrene and maleic anhydride (SMA) is a typical alternating copolymer. 

Vinyl monomers, such as styrene, methyl methacrylate, vinyl acetate, vinyl chloride or acrylonitrile are preferably polymerized by chain polymerization techniques initiated by free radicals. Suitable free radicals can be handily achieved from unstable chemicals like peroxides (benzoyl peroxide, dicumil peroxide) or di-azo reagents (e.g. 2,2 -azo-bis-isobutyronitrile, AIBN) which are dissolved in monomer and usually thermally decompose at temperature range of 40-120 °C. Alternatively, suitable radicals for polymerization can also be activated without addition of external initiators, by just applying ultraviolet light (wave length 200-350 nm) or ultrasound (15,33,34) onto monomer. 

For a particular application, it has been established that an alternating copolymer is most suitable. Given the following monomers — butadiene, styrene, acrylonitrile, and vinyl chloride — which monomer pair... 

Block Copolymers. Several methods such as ultrasonics (100), radiation (101), and chemical techniques (102,103), including the use of polymer ions, polymer radicals, and organometallic initiators, are available to prepare Block Copolymers of acrylonitrile. Acrylonitrile can be used as either the first-or the second-phase monomer. Depending on the mechanism of termination, a diblock of the AB type and a triblock of the ABA type can be formed by disproportionation or transfer for the former, and recombination for the latter. Some of the comonomers are styrene, methyl acrylate, vinyl chloride, methyl methacrylate, vinyl acetate, acrylic acid, and re-butyl isocyanate. An overview and survey of alternating and block copolymers can be found in Reference 104. 

Vinyl acetate-ethyl acetate Propane-propylene Ethanol-isopropanol Hydrochloric acid-water Nitric acid-water Close-boiling Close-boihng Close-boihng Maximum-boiling azeotrope Maximum-boiling azeotrope Phenol, aromatics Acrylonitrile Methyl benzoate Sulfuric acid, calcium chloride for salt process Sulfuric acid, magnesium nitrate for salt process Alternative to simple distillation Alternative to simple distillation, adsorption Alternative to simple distillation Sulfuric acid process rehes heavily on boundary curvature Sulfuric acid process rehes heavily on boundary curvature... 

While most copolymers of vinyl acetate are random copolymers, alternating copolymers are formed when the reactivity ratios for the two monomers are suitable. This occurs spontaneously when vinyl acetate is polymerized with electron-poor monomers such as maleic anhydride [273]. Alternatively, it has been reported that acrylonitrile which has been precomplexed with zinc chloride gives alternating polymers with vinyl acetate [274]. Block polymers of vinyl acetate with methyl methacrylate, acrylonitrile, acrylic acid, and n-vinyl pyrrolidone have been prepared by the strategy of preparing poly(vinyl acetate) macroradicals in poor solvents in which the macroradicals are occluded. Addition of a second monomer swells the polymer coils, and polymerization continues with the addition of the new monomer [275]. 

In the vinyl acetate/acrylonitrile system, we have also examined the effect of added Lewis acids as these are known to enhance alternation in alternating copolymerisation. In the presence of zinc chloride, no dimeric products were observed. Nor were the normal addition products 11 and 12 observed. The major products fornied were 5 (55%), 13 (20%) and 14 (25%). Similar results were obtained with ferric chloride. Thus with 4% FeCla, the ratio of 5 13 14 was 84 10 6 with 60% FeCls, the ratio changed to 25 3 72 respectively. Apparently Lewis acids catalyse the p-fragmentation of rerr-butoxyl radicals (or of di-ferr-butyl peroxalate) and/or slow the rate of addition of the (electrophilic) ferr-butoxyl radicals to both vinyl acetate and acrylonitrile. The product 14 is thought to arise via hydrogen-abstraction from vinyl... 

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