Cyclopolymerization

Cyclopolymerizations are a type of reverse ROP. Non-cyclic monomers, mostly conjugated or non-conjugated dienes, yield rings composing the resulting macromolecule. For example 

Cyclopolymerization may proceed by a radical, ionic or coordination mechanism, of course, according to the conditions but usually only by one of these. 

The cyclopolymerization process will be demonstrated by several examples. 

Kossler et al. (349] described the cyclopolymerization of isoprene in the presence of EtAlClj. They postulate simple diene addition to the propagating ladder chain 

Intramolecular eyclization is subject to the same factors as intermolecular addition (see 2.3). However, stereoelectronic factors achieve greater significance because the relative positions of the radical and double bond are constrained by being part of the one molecule (see 2.3.4) and can lead to head addition being the preferred pathway for the intramolecular step. 

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Cyclopent-2-en-l-one, 2-hydroxy-3-methyl-synthesis, 3, 693 Cyclopentenone, 4-methoxy-formation, 1, 423 Cyclopenthiazide as diuretic, 1, 174 Cyclopent[2,3-d]isoxazol-4-one structure, 6, 975 Cyclophane conformation, 2, 115 photoelectron spectroscopy, 2, 140 [2,2]Cyclophane conformation, 2, 115 Cyclophanes nomenclature, 1, 27 Cyclophosphamide as pharmaceutical, 1, 157 reviews, 1, 496 Cyclopiloselloidin synthesis, 3, 743 Cyclopolymerization heterocycle-forming, 1, 292-293 6H-Cyclopropa[5a,6a]pyrazolo[l,5-a]pyrimidine pyrazoles from, 5, 285 Cydopropabenzopyran synthesis, 3, 700 Cyclopropachromenes synthesis, 3, 671 Cyclopropa[c]dnnolines synthesis, 7, 597 Cyclopropanation by carbenes... 

The very high levels of head addition and the substituent effects reported in these studies are inconsistent with expectations based on knowledge of the reactions of small radicals (see 2.3) and are at odds with structures formed in the intermolecular step of cyclopolymerization of diallyl monomers (see 4.4.1.1) where overwhelming tail addition is seen. 

Diene monomers with suitably disposed double bonds may undergo intramolecular ring-closure in competition with propagation (Scheme 4.12). The term cyclopolymcrization was coined to cover such systems. Many systems which give cyclopolymerization to the exclusion of normal propagation and crosslinking are now known. The subject is reviewed in a series of works by Butler.98 102... 

Geometric considerations in cyclopolymerization are optimal for 1,6-dienes (see 4.4.1.1). Instances of cyclopolymerization involving formation of larger rings have also been reported (see 4.4.1.4), as have examples where sequential intramolecular additions lead to bicyclic structures within the chain (see 4.4.1.2). Various 1,4- and 1,5-dienes are proposed to undergo cyclopolymerization by a mechanism involving two sequential intramolecular additions (see 4.4.1.3). 

Cyclopolymerizations of other 1,6-dienes afford varying ratios of five- and six-membered ring products depending on the substitution pattern of the starting diene. Substitution of the olefinic methine hydrogen (e.g. 11, R- CH3) causes a shift from five- to six-membered ring formation. More bulky R substituents can prevent efficient cvclization and cross-linked polymers may result. 

A vast range of symmetrical and unsymmetrieal 1,6-diene monomers has now been prepared and polymerized and the generality of the process is well established.98,1 A summary of symmetrical 1,6-dienc structures, known to give cyclopolymerization, is presented in Table 4.4 In many cases, the structure of the repeat units has not been rigorously established. Often the only direct evidence for cyclopolymerization is the solubility of the polymer or the absence of residual unsaturalion. In these cases the proposed repeat unit structures are speculative. 

The understanding of the mechanism of cyclopolymerization has been one of the initial driving forces responsible for studies on the factors controlling the mode of ring closure of 5-hexenyl radicals and other simple model compounds.113... 

The observation by Matsumoto et al. (see 4.3.1.4) that significant amounts of head addition occur in polymerization of simple ally] monomers brings into question the origin of the small amounts of six-membered ring products that arc formed in cyclopolymerization of simple diallyl monomers (Scheme 4.14). If the intcrmolecular addition step were to involve head addition, then the intramolecular step should give predominantly a six-membered ring product (14) (by analogy with chemistry seen for 1,7 dienes - see 4.4.1.4). Note that the repeat units 14 and 16, like 12 and 17 are the same however, they are oriented differently in the chain. 

Table 4.4 Ring Sizes Formed in Cyclopolymerization of Symmetrical 1,6-Diene...

Propagation in cyclopolymerization may be substantially faster than for analogous monoene monomers.15" The various theories put forward to account for this observation are summarized in Butler s review.98 A recent theoretical study by Ttiziin et al.u3 looks at the effects of substituents on the rate of the cyclization step. 

Geometric considerations would seem to dictate that 1,4- and 1,5-dicncs should not undergo cyclopolymerization readily. However, in the case of 1,4-dienes, a 5-hexenyl system is formed after one propagation step. Cyclization via 1,5-backbiling generates a second 5-hexenyl system. Homopolymerization of divinyl ether (22) is thought to involve such a bicyclization. The polymer contains a mixture of structures including that formed by the pathway shown in Scheme 4.18. 

It has been suggested that certain 1,5-dienes including o-divinylbenzene (23),156 vinyl acrylate (24, X 11) and vinyl methacrylate (24, X CH )120 may also undergo cyclopolymerization with a monomer addition occurring prior to cyclization and formation of a large ring. However, the structures of these cyclopolymers have not been rigorously established. 

Diallyl monomers find significant use in cyclopolymerization (Section 4.4.1). Transfer to monomer is of greater importance in polymerizations of allyl than it is in diallyl monomers.184 This might, in part, reflect differences in the nature of the propagating species [e.g. a secondary alkyl (115) v.v a primary alkyl radical (116)]. Electronic factors may also play a role,185... 

Cyclopolymerization of the bis-methacrylates (10, ll)6" 6j or bis-styrene derivatives (12)64 has been used to produce heterotactic polymers and optically active atactic polymers. Cyclopolymcrization of racemic 13 by ATRP with a catalyst based on a chiral ligand (Scheme 8.12) gave preferential conversion of the (S, )-enantiomer. 66... 

ATRP has been widely used for the polymerization of methacrylates. However, a very wide range of monomers, including most of those amenable to conventional radical polymerization, has been used in ATRP. ATRP has also been used in cyclopolymerization (e.g. of 16flm364) and ring opening polymerization or copolymerization e.g. of 16T 115 366 and 162 67). ... 

Supemucleophilic polymers containing the 4-(pyrro-lidino)pyridine group were synthesized from the corresponding maleic anhydride copolymers and also by cyclopolymerization of N-4-pyridyl bis(methacryl-imide). The resulting polymers were examined for their kinetics of quaternization with benzyl chloride and hydrolysis of pj-nitrophenylacetate. In both instances, the polymer bound 4-(dialkylamino)pyridine was found to be a superior catalyst than the corresponding low molecular weight analog. 

The monomer synthesis and cyclopolymerization were carried out following the procedure of Butler et al. (21). The resulting polyimide was shown to possess primarily pyrrolidine rings as indicated by infrared spectroscopy (21). Initially, the reduction was carried out with LiAlH in tetrahydrofuran. 

Pyrrolidinopyridine based polymers react faster with benzyl chloride than low molecular weight analogs. The polymer synthesized by cyclopolymerization of N-4-pyridyl bis(methacrylimide)... 

To explain the formation of non-crosslinked polymers from the diallyl quaternary ammonium system, Butler and Angelo proposed a chain growth mechanism which involved a series of intra- and inter-molecular propagation steps (15). This type of polymerization was subsequently shown to occur in a wide variety of symmetrical diene systems which cyclize to form five or six-membered ring structures. This mode of propagation of a non-conjugated diene with subsequent ring formation was later called cyclopolymerization. 

An alternative method of preparing the saturated cyclic amines via cyclopolymerization of diallylamine or diallylammonium chloride was unsuccessful. Common free radical initiators such as 2,2 -azobisisobutyronitrile, ammonium persulfate, benzoyl peroxide were found to be ineffective. Several procedures reported in the literature were followed, and unfortunately all of them have resulted only a small amount of low molecular weight oligomers. Further research for polymerization conditions and types of initiation is still required. 

Ottenbrite, R.M. and Shillady, D.D., "Ring Size on Cyclopolymerization" Polymeric Amines and Ammonium Salts, E. Goethals, Ed. Pergamon Press Oxford, 1980. 

The hydrolytic stability of water soluble poly[N-(4-sulfo-phenyDdimethacrylamide] (PSPDM) was studied at 90 C in aqueous solutions at pH 7, pH 1.2 (0.1M HC1), and pH 12.3 (0.1M NaOH). PSPDM, which possesses predominantly 5-mem-bered ring imides, was prepared by the cyclopolymerization and subsequent sulfonation of N-phenyldimethacrylamide. No detectable PSPDM imide hydrolysis occurred after 30 days at pH 7 or pH 1.2. Under basic conditions, however, complete hydrolysis to amic acid occurred after one day. The resulting Nsubstituted amide was extremely stable to further basic hydrolysis. 

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