Chain conformation isotactic/syndiotactic polymers

Although the definitions of isotactic, syndiotactic, and atactic polymers according to International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) rules are well established in terms of succession of mesa (m) or racemic (r) dyads,12 the symbolism of (+) and (—) bonds allows the easy treatments of possible configurations in cases of any complexity.1 Moreover, the (+) or (—) character of the bonds in a polymer chain is strictly related to the accessibility of gauche+ or gauche conformations of the bonds and, therefore, to the formation of right-handed or left-handed helical conformations.1... 

When A A or B B, the symmetry is lower and the only possible line repetition groups are s(M/N) and tc for isotactic and syndiotactic polymers, respectively, in both cis and trans configurations. In these cases, two independent torsion angles in the main chain define the regular conformation (Oi and 02 in Figure 2.15). 

Mesomorphic forms characterized by conformationally ordered polymer chains packed in lattices with different kinds of lateral disorder have been described for various isotactic and syndiotactic polymers. For instance, for iPP,706 sPP,201 sPS,202 syndiotactic poly(p-methylstyrene) (sPPMS),203 and syndiotactic poly(m -methylstyrene),204 mesomorphic forms have been found. In all of these cases the X-ray fiber diffraction patterns show diffraction confined in well-defined layer lines, indicating order in the conformation of the chains, but broad reflections and diffuse haloes on the equator and on the other layer lines, indicating the presence of disorder in the arrangement of the chain axes as well as the absence of long-range lateral correlations between the chains. 

Figure 29-8 Configuration of atactic, isotactic, and syndiotactic poly-propene. These configurations are drawn here to show the stereochemical relationships of the substituent groups and are not meant to represent necessarily the stable conformations of the polymer chains.

Rather recently, we have studied the solid-state structure of various polymers, such as polyethylene crystallized under different conditions [17-21], poly (tetramethylene oxide) [22], polyvinyl alcohol [23], isotactic and syndiotactic polypropylene [24,25],cellulose [26-30],and amylose [31] with solid-state high-resolution X3C NMR with supplementary use of other methods, such as X-ray diffraction and IR spectroscopy. Through these studies, the high resolution solid-state X3C NMR has proved very powerful for elucidating the solid-state structure of polymers in order of molecules, that is, in terms of molecular chain conformation and dynamics, not only on the crystalline component but also on the noncrystalline components via the chemical shift and magnetic relaxation. In this chapter we will review briefly these studies, focusing particular attention on the molecular chain conformation and dynamics in the crystalline-amorphous interfacial region. 

Because atactic polymer has no ordered structure and shows only slight intramolecular interactions, the interactions between atactic polymers is the strongest (Fig. 10 a). The isotactic polymers may be stabilized by assuming the helix conformation reported for isotactic poly(methyl methacrylate)401. Nucleic add bases are situated outside the polymer chain so that they can form the complex, although the interaction is not so strong. On the other hand, the syndiotactic polymer may have a rod-like conformation that is supported by the low solubility of the polymer and by NMR spectra321. Tlierefoie, it is well understood that the complex formation ability of the syndiotactic polymers is very low. 

FIGURE 7.17 Polymers of propene. The main chain is shown in a zigzag conformation. Every other carbon bears a methyl substituent and is a stereogenic center, (a) All the methyl groups are on the same side of the carbon chain in isotactic polypropylene, (b) Methyl groups alternate from one side to the other in syndiotactic polypropylene, (c) The spatial orientation of the methyl groups is random in atactic polypropylene. 

If polymers of a-alkenes are regarded as infinite chains in their most symmetrical zigzag conformation, only atactic polymers can be chiral. Infinite isotactic polymers have a mirror plane along their chain and numerous mirror planes perpendicular to the chain. Infinite syndiotactic chains of ac-alkene polymers contain mirror planes in all tertiary carbon centers perpendicular to the chain. For convenience, the model of infinite polymer chains can be replaced by analogous cyclic systems (cyclopropanes for triades, cyclobutanes for tetrades, etc.). 

Fig. 4.2 Imagined planar zigzag conformations of vinyl polymers (a) the carbon backbone, (b) a regular isotactic configuration, (c) a regular syndiotactic configuration and (d) a random atactic configuration. The planar zigzag conformation might not be possible for the real chain because of steric hindrance. ( Cambridge University Press 1989.)...

A particular state of tacticity is a particular configuration of the molecule and cannot be changed without breaking and reforming bonds and, at ordinary temperatures, there is not enough thermal energy for this to happen. Rotations around bonds produce only different conformations. A vinyl polymer is therefore unlikely to be appreciably crystalline unless it is substantially either isotactic or syndiotactic the atactic chain cannot get into a state in which it has translational symmetry. 

Isotactic versus syndiotactic versus atactic sequences in a polymer chain Conformational nonuniformity given by rotation around single bonds Figure 1 Schematic description of possible nonuniformities in synthetic polymers. 

---