Block dual polymerizations

Well-controlled block co-polymerization of 1-olefins with MMA or -caprolactone using the unique dual catalytic function of organolanthanide complexes which are active toward polymerization reactions of polar and non-polar monomers has been achieved with bridged [Me2Si(CsR4)2]LnFI (Ln = Y, Sm) type complexes. These initiators are highly active in co-polymerization processes without the presence of any co-catalyst (Scheme 271).985... 

This concept was further developed by Hawker and coworkers [193, 194], who performed dual living polymerizations from a single initiating molecule, without the requirement of an additional reaction. The compatibility of either NMRP or ATRP with the AROP of CL was demonstrated by the synthesis of a variety of well-defined block copolymers. The basic strategy followed for the dual polymerization is shown in Scheme 11.43. 

Scheme 11.43 Synthesis of block copolymers by dual polymerization including AROP and NMRP methods.

Blocked isocyanates are particularly helpful in dual cure mechanisms. In one instance, UV light first polymerizes an acrylate polymer containing hydroxyl groups. The system also contains a malonate ester-blocked isocyanate. The one-component system is heated, which starts the polymerization of the acrylate. Higher temperatures unblock the isocyanate, permitting the cure of the urethane to proceed [15]. 

An interesting development regarding the synthesis of block copolymers involves the use of bifunctional or dual initiators, which are compounds capable of performing two mechanistically distinct polymerizations. The advantage of this procedure is that there is no need for intermediate transformation or activation steps. If the different initiation sites are equally active for the... 

As stated above, we postulated that fast, reversible chain transfer between two different catalysts would be an excellent way to make block copolymers catalytically. While CCTP is well established, the use of main-group metals to exchange polymer chains between two different catalysts has much less precedent. Chien and coworkers reported propylene polymerizations with a dual catalyst system comprising either of two isospecific metallocenes 5 and 6 with an aspecific metallocene 7 [20], They reported that the combinations gave polypropylene (PP) alloys composed of isotactic polypropylene (iPP), atactic polypropylene (aPP), and a small fraction (7-10%) claimed by 13C NMR to have a stereoblock structure. Chien later reported a product made from mixtures of isospecific and syndiospecific polypropylene precatalysts 5 and 8 [21] (detailed analysis using WAXS, NMR, SEC/FT-IR, and AFM were said to be done and details to be published in Makromolecular Chemistry... 

Rytter et al. reported polymerizations with the dual precatalyst system 14/15 in presence of MAO [30]. Under ethylene-hexene copolymerization conditions, 14/MAO produced a polymer with 0.7 mol% hexene, while the 15/MAO gave a copolymer with ca. 5 mol% hexene. In the mixed catalyst system, the activity and comonomer incorporation were approximate averages of what would be expected for the two catalysts. Using crystallization analysis fractionation (CRYSTAF) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis, it was concluded in a later paper by Rytter that the material was a blend containing no block copolymer [31],... 

Experiments were conducted with a dual catalyst chain shuttling system in a continuous solution polymerization reactor. A series of ethylene-octene copolymers of similar melt index were produced with a composition of ca. 30% (by weight) hard and 70% soft blocks. The level of DEZ was systematically varied to study the effects of CSA ratio on polymer microstructure. 

The GPC traces in Fig. 24 reveal a broad molecular weight distribution, MJMn = 4.42, for the dual reactor blend sample. On the other hand, the diblock OBC displays an overall MJMn of 1.67. The narrowing of the distribution indicates that the polymerization has CCTP characteristics. The theoretical molecular weight distribution from an ideal living polymerization in a series of two CSTR reactors is given by the following equation, where/j and/2 are the mass fractions of polymer comprising the two blocks [11] ... 

Thermoresponsive polymeric micelles with PIPAAm block copolymers can be expected to combine passive spatial targeting specificity with a stimuli-responsive targeting mechanism. We have developed LCSTs of PIPAAm chains with preservation of the thermoresponsive properties such as a phase transition rate by copolymerization with hydrophobic or hydrophilic comonomers into PIPAAm main chains. Micellar outer shell chains with the LCSTs adjusted between body temperature and hyperthermic temperature can play a dual role in micelle stabilization at a body temperature due to their hydrophilicity and initiation of drug release by hyperthermia resulting from outer shell structural deformation. Simultaneously, micelle interactions with cells could be enhanced at heated sites due... 

The second strategy for the chemoenzymatic synthesis of block copolymers from enzymatic macroinitiators employs an individual modification step of the enzymatic block with an initiator for the chemical polymerization (route B in Fig. 4). This strategy has the advantage that it does not depend on a high incorporation rate of the dual initiator. On the other hand, quantitative end-functionalization becomes more... 

Apart from ATRP, the concept of dual initiation was also applied to other (controlled) polymerization techniques. Nitroxide-mediated living free radical polymerization (LFRP) is one example reported by van As et al. and has the advantage that no further metal catalyst is required [43], Employing initiator NMP-1, a PCL macroinitiator was obtained and subsequent polymerization of styrene produced a block copolymer (Scheme 4). With this system, it was for the first time possible to successfully conduct a one-pot chemoenzymatic cascade polymerization from a mixture containing NMP-1, CL, and styrene. Since the activation temperature of NMP is around 100 °C, no radical polymerization will occur at the reaction temperature of the enzymatic ROP. The two reactions could thus be thermally separated by first carrying out the enzymatic polymerization at low temperature and then raising the temperature to around 100 °C to initiate the NMP. Moreover, it was shown that this approach is compatible with the stereoselective polymerization of 4-MeCL for the synthesis of chiral block copolymers. 

The dual function of the precatalysts 4 opened the way to well-controlled block polymerization of ethylene and MMA (eq. (5)) [89, 90]. Homopolymerization of ethylene (Mn = 10000) and subsequent copolymerization with MAA (Mn 20000) yielded the desired linear AB block copolymers. Mono and bis(alkyl/silyl)-substituted flyover metallocene hydride complexes of type 8 gave the first well-controlled block copoymerization of higher a-olefins with polar monomers such as MMA or CL [91]. In contast to the rapid formation of polyethylene [92], the polymerization of 1-pentene and 1-hexene proceeded rather slowly. For example, AB block copolymers featuring poly( 1-pentene) blocks (M 14000, PDI = 1.41) and polar PMMA blocks (M 34000, PDI = 1.77) were obtained. Due to the bis-initiating action of samarocene(II) complexes (Scheme 4), type 13-15 precatalysts are capable of producing ABA block copolymers of type poly(MMA-co-ethylene-co-MMA), poly(CL-co-ethylene-co-CL), and poly(DTC-co-ethylene-co-DTC DTC = 2,2-dimethyltrimethylene carbonate) [90]. 

The complex is also active in ring-opening metathesis polymerization of 1,5-cyclooctadiene (COD), where the ruthenium—carbene bond is now the initiating point. Therefore, a mixture of MMA and COD undergoes a dual or tandem living polymerization of both monomers to generate block copolymers of COD and MMA, which can be converted into ethylene-block-MMA copolymers on subsequent hydrogenation, also catalyzed by the complex. 

All CRP chemistries should be useful in dual living polymerization techniques directed at the preparation of graft and block copolymers. However, interference may sometimes occur between, e.g., ROP catalyst and either ATRP catalyst, or end functionalities in NMP or RAFT systems. 

Figure 12.4 Dual or bifunctional initiator approach to block copolymers combining an enzymatic with a non-enzymatic chemical polymerization.

The bifunctional initiator approach using reversible addition fragmentation chain-transfer polymerization (RAFT) as the free-radical controlling mechanism was soon to follow and block copolymers of styrene and caprolactone ensued [58]. In this case, a trithiocarbonate species having a terminal primary hydroxyl group provided the dual initiation (Figure 13.3). The resultant polymer was terminated with a trithiocarbonate reduction of the trithiocarbonate to a thiol allows synthesis of a-hydroxyl-co-thiol polymers which are of particular interest in biopolymer applications. 

The use of the dual initiator strategy has opened up a whole new area of block copolymer synthesis using enzymes and over the previous five years many reactions and systems have been extensively reported. In general, the previous reports have shown that the use of supercritical C02 has allowed the two reaction mechanisms of eROP and free radical polymerization to occur simultaneously to yield well-defined block and graft copolymers. 

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