Termination cationic polymerization

The cationic polymerization terminates by loss of a proton to afford the alkene. 

Since propagating species have the same charge, termination cannot occur through coupling of two active centres. Instead, in cationic polymerization, termination is most commonly through unimolecular rearrangement of the ion pair ... 

We shall consider these points below. The mechanism for cationic polymerization continues to include initiation, propagation, transfer, and termination steps, and the rate of polymerization and the kinetic chain length are the principal quantities of interest. 

Low-molecular weight azo compounds have frequently been used in cationic polymerizations producing azo-containing polymers. Thus, the combination of ionically and radically polymerizable monomers into block copolymers has been achieved. Azo compounds were used in all steps of cationic polymerization without any loss of azo function as initiators, as monomers and, finally, as terminating agents. 

With respect to the initiation of cationic chain polymerizations, the reaction of chlorine-terminated azo compounds with various silver salts has been thoroughly studied. ACPC, a compound often used in condensation type reactions discussed previously, was reacted with Ag X , X, being BF4 [10,61] or SbFa [11,62]. This reaction resulted in two oxocarbenium cations, being very suitable initiating sites for cationic polymerization. Thus, poly(tetrahydrofuran) with Mn between 3 x 10 and 4 x lO containing exactly one central azo group per molecule was synthesized [62a]. Furthermore, N-... 

Besides being used as initiators and monomers, azo compounds may also be used for terminating a cationic polymerization. Thus, the living cationic polymerization... 

Cationic polymerization can terminate by adding a hydroxy compound such as water ... 

Anionic polymerization is better for vinyl monomers with electron withdrawing groups that stabilize the intermediates. Typical monomers best polymerized by anionic initiators include acrylonitrile, styrene, and butadiene. As with cationic polymerization, a counter ion is present with the propagating chain. The propagation and the termination steps are similar to cationic polymerization. 

Kennedy and co-workers10 studied the kinetics of the reaction between Me3Al and t-butyl halides using methyl halide solvents as a model for initiation and termination in cationic polymerization. Neopentane was generated rapidly, without side reactions and rates were determined by NMR spectroscopy. The major conclusions were ... 

Kennedy and co-workers10 studied model cationic polymerization initiation and termination. They determined the effect of halogens in f-BuX and MeX on the rate of reaction between f-BuX and Me3Al. The pseudo second order rate constant decreased (Table 1) as ... 

This reaction corresponds to the basic process during the initiation of cationic polymerizations by RX/MtXn and when reversed is the termination reaction. It will be handled more in detail in part 4.2. When X = H, the reaction enthalpy of the previous equation is equal to the hydride ion affinity (HIA) which is shown for various relevant... 

If the nucleophilicity of the anion is decreased, then an increase of its stability proceeds the excessive olefine can compete with the anion as a donor for the carbenium ion, and therefore the formation of chain molecules can be induced. The increase of stability named above is made possible by specific interactions with the solvent as well as complex formations with a suitable acceptor 112). Especially suitable acceptors are Lewis acids. These acids have a double function during cationic polymerizations in an environment which is not entirely water-free. They react with the remaining water to build a complex acid, which due to its increased acidity can form the important first monomer cation by protonation of the monomer. The Lewis acids stabilize the strong nucleophilic anion OH by forming the complex anion (MtXn(OH))- so that the chain propagation dominates rather than the chain termination. 

Alkyl aluminium halides are used in many ways as coinitiators for the cationic polymerization. Due to presence of alkyl groups, which have the characteristics of potential carbanions, the alkyl aluminium halides and the counterions formed from them cause the following irreversible competing reactions whereby hydrocarbons are released — Termination by interaction of the cation with the alkyl group of the counterion, e-g-... 

Such a mechanism is open to serious objections both on theoretical and experimental grounds. Cationic polymerizations usually are conducted in media of low dielectric constant in which the indicated separation of charge, and its subsequent increase as monomer adds to the chain, would require a considerable energy. Moreover, termination of chains growing in this manner would be a second-order process involving two independent centers such as occurs in free radical polymerizations. Experimental evidence indicates a termination process of lower order (see below). Finally, it appears doubtful that a halide catalyst is effective without a co-catalyst such as water, alcohol, or acetic acid. This is quite definitely true for isobutylene, and it may hold also for other monomers as well. 

In both anionic and cationic polymerization it is possible to create living polymers . In this process, we starve the reacting species of monomer. Once the monomer is exhausted, the terminal groups of the chains are still activated. If we add more monomer to the reaction vessel, chain groivth will restart. This technique provides us with a uniquely controllable system in which we can add different monomers to living chains to create block copolymers. 

Fig ure 2.7 Cationic polymerization initiated by Bronsted-Lowry acid a) initiation, b) propagation, c) termination... 

The kinetic expressions which describe the rate and degree of polymerization in cationic polymerizations are derived in a manner analogous to that for radical polymerization. The results are similar with the main difference being that the direct and inverse dependencies of the rate and degree of polymerization, respectively, on the initiator concentration or initiation rate are both first-order, not half-order as in radical polymerization. The difference arises from cationic termination being mono-molecular in the propagating species instead of bimolecular as in radical polymerization. 

Cationic polymerization was considered for many years to be the less appropriate polymerization method for the synthesis of polymers with controlled molecular weights and narrow molecular weight distributions. This behavior was attributed to the inherent instability of the carbocations, which are susceptible to chain transfer, isomerization, and termination reactions [48— 52], The most frequent procedure is the elimination of the cation s /1-proton, which is acidic due to the vicinal positive charge. However, during the last twenty years novel initiation systems have been developed to promote the living cationic polymerization of a wide variety of monomers. 

Such a behavior is expected in cationic polymerization where, because carbocations are not reacting among themselves, only one propagating species is involved in the termination reaction. 

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