Additions free radical chains

Photoinitiation is not as important as thermal initiation in the overall picture of free-radical chain-growth polymerization. The foregoing discussion reveals, however, that the contrast between the two modes of initiation does provide insight into and confirmation of various aspects of addition polymerization. The most important application of photoinitiated polymerization is in providing a third experimental relationship among the kinetic parameters of the chain mechanism. We shall consider this in the next section. 

We begin our discussion of copolymers by considering the free-radical polymerization of a mixture of two monomers. Mi and M2. This is already a narrow view of the entire field of copolymers, since more than two repeat units can be present in copolymers and, in addition, mechanisms other than free-radical chain growth can be responsible for copolymer formation. The essential features of the problem are introduced by this simpler special case, so we shall restrict our attention to this system. 

The peioxy free radicals can abstract hydrogens from other activated methylene groups between double bonds to form additional hydroperoxides and generate additional free radicals like (1). Thus a chain reaction is estabhshed resulting in autoxidation. The free radicals participate in these reactions, and also react with each other resulting in cross-linking by combination. 

The regioselectivity of addition of Itydrogen bromide to alkenes can be complicated if a free-radical chain addition occurs in competition with the ionic addition. The free-radical reaction is readily initiated by peroxidic impurities or by light and leads to the anti-Markownikoff addition product. The mechanism of this reaction will be considered more fully in Chapter 12. Conditions that minimize the competing radical addition include use of high-purity alkene and solvent, exclusion of light, and addition of free-radical inhibitors. ... 

Scheme 12.S. Free-Radical Chain Additions to Alkenes...

Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is produced under high pressure in the presence of a free radical initiator. As with many free radical chain addition polymerizations, the polymer is highly branched. It has a lower crystallinity compared to HDPE due to its lower capability of packing. 

Certain commercially important crosslinking reactions are carried out with unsaturated polymers. For example, as will be described later in this chapter, polyesters can be made using bifunctional acids which contain a double bond. The resulting polymers have such double bonds at regular intervals along the backbone. These sites of unsaturation are then crosslinked by reaction with styrene monomer in a free-radical chain (addition) process to give a material consisting of polymer backbones and poly(styrene) copolymer crosslinks. 

The reductive elimination of a variety of )3-substituted sulfones for the preparation of di-and tri-substituted olefins (e.g. 75 to 76) and the use of allyl sulfones as synthetic equivalents of the allyl dianion CH=CH—CHj , has prompted considerable interest in the [1,3]rearrangements of allylic sulfones ". Kocienski has thus reported that while epoxidation of allylic sulfone 74 with MCPBA in CH2CI2 at room temperature afforded the expected product 75, epoxidation in the presence of two equivalents of NaHCOj afforded the isomeric j ,y-epoxysulfone 77. Similar results were obtained with other a-mono- or di-substituted sulfones. On the other hand, the reaction of y-substituted allylic sulfones results in the isomerization of the double bond, only. The following addition-elimination free radical chain mechanism has been suggested (equations 45, 46). In a closely related and simultaneously published investigation, Whitham and coworkers reported the 1,3-rearrangement of a number of acyclic and cyclic allylic p-tolyl sulfones on treatment with either benzoyl peroxide in CCI4 under reflux or with... 

It has been generally accepted that the thermal decomposition of paraffinic hydrocarbons proceeds via a free radical chain mechanism [2], In order to explain the different product distributions obtained in terms of experimental conditions (temperature, pressure), two mechanisms were proposed. The first one was by Kossiakoff and Rice [3], This R-K model comes from the studies of low molecular weight alkanes at high temperature (> 600 °C) and atmospheric pressure. In these conditions, the unimolecular reactions are favoured. The alkyl radicals undergo successive decomposition by [3-scission, the main primary products are methane, ethane and 1-alkenes [4], The second one was proposed by Fabuss, Smith and Satterfield [5]. It is adapted to low temperature (< 450 °C) but high pressure (> 100 bar). In this case, the bimolecular reactions are favoured (radical addition, hydrogen abstraction). Thus, an equimolar distribution ofn-alkanes and 1-alkenes is obtained. 

In addition to oxidation, many other reactions occur as free radical chain reactions polymerization, decomposition, fluorination, chlorination, etc. All chain reactions have a few important general peculiarities [1—3]. 

Russell and coworkers have made an extensive study of the photolytically initiated substitution reactions of a variety of reagents with 1-alkenyl derivatives of SnBu333,34, the general reaction being as shown in reaction 26. The process is thought to involve addition-elimination in a free radical chain mechanism, illustrated in Scheme 3. 

The detailed mechanism for these Co AlPO-18- and Mn ALPO-18-cata-lyzed oxidations are unknown, but as previously pointed out vide supra) and by analogy to other metal-mediated oxidations a free-radical chain auto-oxidation (a type IIaRH reaction) is anticipated [63], This speculation is supported by several experimental observations that include (1) an induction period for product formation in the oxidation of n-hexane in CoAlPO-36, (2) the reduction of the induction period by the addition of free-radical initiators, (3) the ability to inhibit the reaction with addition of free-radical scavengers, and (4) the direct observation of cyclohexyl hydroperoxide in the oxidation of cyclohexane [62],... 

Vanoppen et al. [88] have reported the gas-phase oxidation of zeolite-ad-sorbed cyclohexane to form cyclohexanone. The reaction rate was observed to increase in the order NaY < BaY < SrY < CaY. This was attributed to a Frei-type thermal oxidation process. The possibility that a free-radical chain process initiated by the intrazeolite formation of a peroxy radical, however, could not be completely excluded. On the other hand, liquid-phase auto-oxidation of cyclohexane, although still exhibiting the same rate effect (i.e., NaY < BaY < SrY < CaY), has been attributed to a homolytic peroxide decomposition mechanism [89]. Evidence for the homolytic peroxide decomposition mechanism was provided in part by the observation that the addition of cyclohexyl hydroperoxide dramatically enhanced the intrazeolite oxidation. In addition, decomposition of cyclohexyl hydroperoxide followed the same reactivity pattern (i.e., NaY < BaY... 

Carbon-heteroatom bond formation by free-radical chain additions to... 

Free Radical Chain Polymerization (Addition Polymerization) 173... 

Initiation of a free radical chain takes place by addition of a free radical (R ) to a vinyl monomer (Equation 6.8). Polystyrene (PS) will be used to illustrate the typical reaction sequences. (Styrene, like many aromatic compounds, is toxic, and concentrations that come into contact with us should be severely limited.) It is important to note that the free radical (R ) is a companion of all polymerizing species and is part of the polymer chain acting as an end group and hence should not be called a catalyst even though it is often referred to as such. It is most properly referred to as an initiator. 

Similar results were achieved in a free-radical chain addition reaction with free radicals generated from an EtsB-air or EtsB-air/alkyl iodide system (equation 76). ... 

In addition to the limitations enumerated above, which are inherent in the photochemistry, there are other side reactions of a free-radical nature which may compete seriously with the desired reaction. It is a simple matter to determine which of the products are derived from these reactions as they can be formed in the dark, using free-radical chain initiators. For example, chain reactions where the propagating steps are of the following type are fairly general. 

Michael Faraday reported in 1821 that chlorine addition to alkenes is Stimulated by sunlightand today this is taken to indicate the involvement of a free radical process (equation 26). Free radical chain mechanisms were proposed in 1927 by Berthoud and Beraneck for the isomerization of stilbene catalyzed by Br2 (equation 27), and by Wachholtz for bromine addition to ethyl maleate (equation 28).Later studies showed inhibition of halogen addition by reaction of the intermediate radicals with oxygen, and a free radical chain mechanism for solution and gas phase halogenations as in equation (26) was shown (equation 29). Kinetic and mechanistic... 

Kharasch and Mayo in 1933," in the first of many papers on the subject, showed that the addition of HBr to allyl bromide in the presence of light and air occurs rapidly to yield 1,3-dibromopropane, whereas in the absence of air and with purified reagents, the reaction is slow and 1,2-dibromopropane is formed. The latter reaction is the normal addition occurring by an ionic pathway giving the Markovnikov orientation. In 1933 the mechanism of the abnormal process ( anti-Markovnikov addition) was not discussed, and it was only in 1937 that the free radical chain mechanism for this process was proposed by Kharasch and his co-workers. "" The mechanism was extended to propene, for which the role of peroxides in promoting the reaction was demonstrated (equations 30, 31). This mechanism was also proposed... 

In addition to the free-radical chain degradation described for polyolefins, another type of degradation (dehydrohalogenation) also occurs with chlorine-containing polymers, such as PVC. As shown by the following equation,... 

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