Catalyst-Transfer Polymerizations

It is important to clarify whether catalyst-transfer condensation polymerization is specific to polythiophene, or whether it is generally applicable to the synthesis of well-defined it-conjugated polymers. We investigated the synthesis of poly(p-phenylene), to see whether a monomer 28 containing no heteroatom in the aromatic ring would undergo catalyst-transfer polymerization. However, all polymers obtained in the polymerization with Ni(dppp)Cl2, Ni(dppe)Cl2, or Ni(dppf)Cl2 possessed low molecular weights and broad polydispersities. Nevertheless, we found that LiCl was necessary for opti-... 

SCHEME 1.13 Catalytic cycle for Kumada catalyst-transfer polymerization of poly(3-hexylthiophene). 

Lohwasser RH, Thelakkat M (2011) Toward perfect control of end groups and polydispersity in poly(3-hexylthiophene) via catalyst transfer polymerization. Macromolecules 44 3388-3397... 

The range of uses of mercuric iodide has increased because of its abiUty to detect nuclear particles. Various metals such as Pd, Cu, Al, Tri, Sn, Ag, and Ta affect the photoluminescence of Hgl2, which is of importance in the preparation of high quaUty photodetectors (qv). Hgl2 has also been mentioned as a catalyst in group transfer polymerization of methacrylates or acrylates (8). 

However, in olefin polymerization by two-component catalysts during polymerization not only active transition metal-polymer bonds are formed, but also inactive aluminum-polymer ones, as a result of the transfer process with the participation of a co-catalyst (11, 162-164). The aluminum-polymer bonds are quenched by tritiated alcohol according to the scheme (25), so an additional tagging of the polymer occurs. The use of iodine (165, 166) as a quenching agent also results in decomposing inactive metal-polymer bonds. 

These TMS-carbamate-mediated NCA polymerizations resemble to some extent the group-transfer polymerization (GTP) of acrylic monomers initiated by organo-silicon compounds [40]. Unlike GTPs that typically require Lewis acid activators or nucelophilic catalysts to facilitate the polymerization [41], TMS-carbamate-mediated NCA polymerizations do not appear to require any additional catalysts or activators. However, it is still unclear whether the TMS transfer proceeds through an anionic process as in GTP [41] or through a concerted process as illustrated in Scheme 14. 

The controlled polymerization of (meth)acrylates was achieved by anionic polymerization. However, special bulky initiators and very low temperatures (- 78 °C) must be employed in order to avoid side reactions. An alternative procedure for achieving the same results by conducting the polymerization at room temperature was proposed by Webster and Sogah [84], The technique, called group transfer polymerization, involves a catalyzed silicon-mediated sequential Michael addition of a, /f-unsaluralcd esters using silyl ketene acetals as initiators. Nucleophilic (anionic) or Lewis acid catalysts are necessary for the polymerization. Nucleophilic catalysts activate the initiator and are usually employed for the polymerization of methacrylates, whereas Lewis acids activate the monomer and are more suitable for the polymerization of acrylates [85,86]. 

Immobilization of phase-transfer catalysts on polymeric matrices avoids the problem of separating and recycling the catalysts. In this case the chemical stability of the immobilized catalyst becomes very important quaternary salts often decompose under drastic reaction conditions whereas polydentate ligands are always stable. However, the difficult synthesis of cryptands, despite their high catalytic efficiency, can hardly justify their use. Synthesis of crown-ethers is much easier, but catalytic efficiences are often too low. 

Group-transfer polymerizations make use of a silicon-mediated Michael addition reaction. They allow the synthesis of isolatable, well-characterized living polymers whose reactive end groups can be converted into other functional groups. It allows the polymerization of alpha, beta-unsaturated esters, ketones, amides, or nitriles through the use of silyl ketenes in the presence of suitable nucleophilic catalysts such as soluble Lewis acids, fluorides, cyanides, azides, and bifluorides, HF. ... 

The most promising route towards variable isotacic PHB is a process in which PO is transferred to both enantiopure and racemic (3-BL in two parallel processes (Fig. 40). As mentioned, these monomers can be distilled off from the catalysts and polymerized directly. Thus, any degree of tacticity in the polymer can be adjusted by mixing racemic and enantiopure (3-BL, which would allow the preparation of tailor-made materials from the low-cost oil-based monomers PO and CO (cf. Sect. 8). 

Group transfer polymerization (GTP) requires either a nucleophilic or Lewis acid catalyst. Bifluoride (HF2) and fluoride ions, supplied by soluble reagents such as tris(dimethylamino)-sulfonium bifluoride, [(CH3)2N]3SHF2, and (w-C NF, are the most effective nucleophilic catalysts, although other nucleophiles (CN , acetate, p-nitrophenolate) are also useful. Zinc... 

The catalytic coke produced by the activity of the catalyst and simultaneous reactions of cracking, isomerization, hydrogen transfer, polymerization, and condensation of complex aromatic structures of high molecular weight. This type of coke is more abundant and constitutes around 35-65% of the total deposited coke on the catalyst surface. This coke determines the shape of temperature programmed oxidation (TPO) spectra. The higher the catalyst activity the higher will be the production of such coke [1],... 

Abstract Transferases are enzymes that catalyze reactions in which a group is transferred from one compound to another. This makes these enzymes ideal catalysts for polymerization reactions. In nature, transferases are responsible for the synthesis of many important natural macromolecules. In synthetic polymer chemistry, various transferases are used to synthesize polymers in vitro. This chapter reviews some of these approaches, such as the enzymatic polymerization of polyesters, polysaccharides, and polyisoprene. 

The water content greatly influences the activity and the molecular weight of PTMG, as shown in Fig. 25. At the ratio of H2O/PW12O40 = 10, the reaction mixture consists of two liquid phases the upper phase is mainly THF and the lower phase is the complex of H3PW12O40 and THF (in the catalyst phase). The THF polymer is formed in the catalyst phase and is transferred to the THF phase. This phase-transfer polymerization is illustrated in Fig. 26. 

Numerous side reactions take place in the reaction zone, some of which are beneficial, but many of which are harmful (4). Some catalysts act to promote olefin isomerization to some extent as well as alkylation. In aviation and motor alkylate production, where more highly branched products are desirable, this isomerization reaction is of considerable benefit. This is especially true when the isomerization of butylene-1 to butylene-2 precedes the alkylation reaction. Harmful side reactions include hydrogen transfer and polymerization. The production of propane from propylene and of normal butane from butylene occurs by hydrogen transfer. Polymerization is very harmful because it not only produces the tar which spends the catalyst, but also reduces the yield of valuable products. 

After the development of catalyst-transfer condensation polymerization of polythiophene, the block copolymer of polythiophene and PMA could be prepared more easily. As mentioned above, the vinyl-terminated polythiophene was first prepared. The vinyl group was converted to the 2-hydroxyethyl group by hydroboration, followed by esterification with 2-bromopropionyl bromide to give a macroinitiator for ATRP (Scheme 101)... 

Qince the discovery (6) of supported chromium oxide catalysts for polymerization and copolymerization of olefins, many fundamental studies of these systems have been reported. Early studies by Topchiev et al. (18) deal with the effects of catalyst and reaction variables on the over-all kinetics. More recent studies stress the nature of the catalytically active species (1, 2, 9,13, 14,16, 19). Using ESR techniques, evidence is developed which indicates that the active species are Cr ions in tetrahedral environment. Other recent work presents a more detailed look at the reaction kinetics. For example, Yermakov and co-workers (12) provide evidence which suggests that chain termination in the polymerization of ethylene on the catalyst surface takes place predominantly by transfer with monomer, and Clark and Bailey (3, 4) give evidence that chain growth occurs through a Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism. 

The ruthenium catalyst RuCl2(= CHPh)(PCy3)2 is able to promote both alkene metathesis polymerization (ROMP) and atom transfer polymerization (ATRP) [80,81]. The bifunctional catalyst A was designed to promote both ROMP of cyclooctadiene (COD) and ATRP of methyl methacrylate (MMA). Thus, catalyst A was employed to perform both polymerizations in one pot leading to diblock polybutadiene/polymethylmethacrylate copolymer (58-82% yield, PDI = 1.5). After polymerization the reaction vessel was exposed to hydrogen (150 psi, 65 °C, 8h), under conditions for Ru(H2)(H)Cl(PCy3)2 to be produced, and the hydrogenation of diblock copolymer could attain 95% [82] (Scheme 36). 

Coordination polymerizations are becoming an inspiration source for further methodical development in addition polymerizations. The nearest aim could possibly be the insertion of polar monomers (as indicated by group transfer polymerization) and a deepening of our understanding of catalysis. Research in this field should lead to partial or even total replacement of catalysts by other means. I shall try to indicate one of the possibilities. 

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