Chain growth from monomers

In addition to the configurational isomerism encountered in polymers derived from asymmetric olefins, geometric isomerism is obtained when conjugated dienes are polymerized, e.g., (CH2=CX—CH=CH2). Chain growth from monomers of this type can proceed in a number of ways, illustrated conveniently by 2-methyl-1,3-butadiene (isoprene). Addition can take place either through a 1,2-mechanism or a 3,4-mech-anism, both of which could lead to isotactic, syndiotactic, or atactic structures, or by a 1,4-mode leaving the site of unsaturation in the chain. 

It is now clear that, when propagation centers are formed, olefin polymerization by all solid catalysts (including the Phillips Petroleum catalyst from chromium deposited on oxides, and the Standard Oil catalyst of molybdenum oxide on aluminum oxide) essentially follows the same mechanism chain growth through monomer insertion into the transition-metal-carbon bond, with precoordination of the monomer. Interestingly,... 

Apart from the relevance to the radiation-induced polymerizations, the pulse radiolysis of the solutions of styrene and a-methylstyrene in MTHF or tetrahy-drofuran (THF) has provided useful information about anionic polymerization in general [33]. Anionic polymerizations initiated by alkali-metal reduction or electron transfer reactions involve the initial formation of radical anions followed by their dimerization, giving rise to two centers for chain growth by monomer addition [34]. In the pulse radiolysis of styrene or a-methylstyrene (MS), however, the rapid recombination reaction of the anion with a counterion necessarily formed during the radiolysis makes it difficult to observe the dimerization process directly. Langan et al. used the solutions containing either sodium or lithium tetrahydridoaluminiumate (NAH or LAH) in which the anions formed stable ion-pairs with the alkali-metal cations whereby the radical anions produced by pulse radiolysis could be prevented from rapid recombination reaction [33],... 

Two general mechanisms have been proposed to explain the formation of polymers with precipitated catalysts (a) the bound-ion-radical mechanism and (b) the bound-ion-coordinate mechanism. The bound-ion-radical mechanism involves chain growth in a chemisorbed layer of monomer molecules initiated by radicals or ion-radicals bound to the surface of the catalyst, while the coordinate mechanism involves chain growth from a complex ionic center in the catalyst. 

Overall Product Distributions. Depending on the catalyst t5 pe and on the process conditions, the selectivity of methane can vary from about 2 to 100% whereas that of long-chain waxes can vary from 0% to more than 70% ((7), chapter 3, (20)). Despite the wide distribution of products, there is nevertheless always a clear interrelationship between the individual products, as is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 ((7), chapter 3) The accepted explanation is that the FT reaction involves the stepwise chain growth of monomers. The actual structure of the monomers is disputable (see the section FT Surface Reactions and Mechanisms ). 

Tertiary amines like benzyldimethylamine, pyridine, and imidazole have been widely used as a base to initiate the anionic polymerization of PGE and its derivatives as well as for the synthesis of epoxy resins of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA). Even if initiation occurs with amine alone, the introduction of an alcohol is a common procedure to suppress the observed induction period and increase the polymerization rate. Two initiation mechanisms have been proposed (Scheme 18) (1) direct nucleophilic attack of the amine onto the cyclic monomer to yield the zwitterion (a) and (2) formation of alkoxide (b) via proton transfer in the presence of alcohol. Fast exchange between dormant alcohol and active alkoxide allows chain growth from both initial amine (a) and alcohol (b). Poly(PGE) oligomers whose degree of polymerization does not exceed 5 are obtained. The presence of terminal double bonds indicates significant transfer to the monomer via... 

Pure styrene undergoes significant thermal polymerization without any added initiator above about 100 °C. A mechanism has been postulated to explain thermal polymerization which involves a reaction between two monomer molecules to form diradicals that initiate chain growth from each end. 

Whereas diblock copolymers were mainly prepared by sequential polymerizations of two different monomers, triblock copolymers were generally obtained by divergent chain growth from a difunctional alkoxyamine (Table 6). However, a few examples report consecutive polymerization of three different monomers from monofunctional initiators (Table 7). TEMPO and TEMPO-like nitroxides were almost exclusively employed for the polymerization of styrenic derivatives. The versatility of TIPNO and SGI nitroxides allowed greater flexibility regarding the range of monomer that can be controlled. Consequently, they have been intensively employed for the design of a myriad of block copolymers. 

When initiator is first added the reaction medium remains clear while particles 10 to 20 nm in diameter are formed. As the reaction proceeds the particle size increases, giving the reaction medium a white milky appearance. When a thermal initiator, such as AIBN or benzoyl peroxide, is used the reaction is autocatalytic. This contrasts sharply with normal homogeneous polymerizations in which the rate of polymerization decreases monotonicaHy with time. Studies show that three propagation reactions occur simultaneously to account for the anomalous auto acceleration (17). These are chain growth in the continuous monomer phase chain growth of radicals that have precipitated from solution onto the particle surface and chain growth of radicals within the polymer particles (13,18). 

An example of a commercial semibatch polymerization process is the early Union Carbide process for Dynel, one of the first flame-retardant modacryhc fibers (23,24). Dynel, a staple fiber that was wet spun from acetone, was introduced in 1951. The polymer is made up of 40% acrylonitrile and 60% vinyl chloride. The reactivity ratios for this monomer pair are 3.7 and 0.074 for acrylonitrile and vinyl chloride in solution at 60°C. Thus acrylonitrile is much more reactive than vinyl chloride in this copolymerization. In addition, vinyl chloride is a strong chain-transfer agent. To make the Dynel composition of 60% vinyl chloride, the monomer composition must be maintained at 82% vinyl chloride. Since acrylonitrile is consumed much more rapidly than vinyl chloride, if no control is exercised over the monomer composition, the acrylonitrile content of the monomer decreases to approximately 1% after only 25% conversion. The low acrylonitrile content of the monomer required for this process introduces yet another problem. That is, with an acrylonitrile weight fraction of only 0.18 in the unreacted monomer mixture, the low concentration of acrylonitrile becomes a rate-limiting reaction step. Therefore, the overall rate of chain growth is low and under normal conditions, with chain transfer and radical recombination, the molecular weight of the polymer is very low. 

Propa.ga.tlon, The tertiary THF oxonium ion undergoes propagation by an S. mechanism as a result of a bimolecular colHsion with THF monomer. Only colHsions at the ring a-carbon atoms of the oxonium ion result in chain growth. Depropagation results from an intramolecular nucleophilic attack of the penultimate chain oxygen atom at the exocycHc a-carbon atom of the oxonium ion, followed by expulsion of a monomer molecule. 

Monomer molecules, which have a low but finite solubility in water, diffuse through the water and drift into the soap micelles and swell them. The initiator decomposes into free radicals which also find their way into the micelles and activate polymerisation of a chain within the micelle. Chain growth proceeds until a second radical enters the micelle and starts the growth of a second chain. From kinetic considerations it can be shown that two growing radicals can survive in the same micelle for a few thousandths of a second only before mutual termination occurs. The micelles then remain inactive until a third radical enters the micelle, initiating growth of another chain which continues until a fourth radical comes into the micelle. It is thus seen that statistically the micelle is active for half the time, and as a corollary, at any one time half the micelles contain growing chains. 

Other chain transfer processes may occur. For example, the radical may abstract an atom from along the backbone of a previously formed polymer molecule, and thus initiate the growth of a branch to the main chain. There can also be chain transfer to monomer, which in the nature of the polymerisation process must be a relatively rare phenomenon. However, it can occur infrequently and give rise to a restriction in the size of the polymer molecules without ceasing the overall radical chain reaction. 

When an aqueous phase radical enters the polymer particles it becomes a polymer phase radical, which reacts with a monomer molecule starting a propagating polymer chain. This chain may be stopped by chain transfer to monomer, by chain transfer to agent or it may terminate by coupling. Small radicals in the particle may also desorb from or reenter the particle. In a batch reactor. Interval I indicates the new particle formation period, Interval II particle growth with no new particles, and Interval III the absence of monomer droplets. 

The interest in hyperbranched polymers arises from the fact that they combine some features of dendrimers, for example, an increasing number of end groups and a compact structure in solution, with the ease of preparation of hn-ear polymers by means of a one-pot reaction. However, the polydispersities are usually high and their structures are less regular than those of dendrimers. Another important advantage is the extension of the concept of hyperbranched polymers towards vinyl monomers and chain growth processes, which opens unexpected possibilities. 

---