Electrophilic aromatic substitution polymerization

The reaction of 151 with methanol to give dimethyl phosphate (154) or with N-methylaniline to form the phosphoramidate 155 and (presumably) the pyrophosphate 156 complies with expectations. The formation of dimethyl phosphate does not constitute, however, reliable evidence for the formation of intermediate 151 since methanol can also react with polymeric metaphosphates to give dimethyl phosphate. On the other hand, reaction of polyphosphates with N-methylaniline to give 156 can be ruled out (control experiments). The formation of 156 might encourage speculations whether the reaction with N,N-diethylaniline might involve initial preferential reaction of monomeric methyl metaphosphate via interaction with the nitrogen lone pair to form a phosphoric ester amide which is cleaved to phosphates or pyrophosphates on subsequent work-up (water, methanol). Such a reaction route would at least explain the low extent of electrophilic aromatic substitution by methyl metaphosphate. 

Phenol-formaldehyde prepolymers, referred to as novolacs, are obtained by using a ratio of formaldehyde to phenol of 0.75-0.85 1, sometimes lower. Since the reaction system is starved for formaldehyde, only low molecular weight polymers can be formed and there is a much narrower range of products compared to the resoles. The reaction is accomplished by heating for 2 1 h at or near reflux temperature in the presence of an acid catalyst. Oxalic and sulfuric acids are used in amounts of 1-2 and <1 part, respectively, per 100 parts phenol. The polymerization involves electrophilic aromatic substitution, first by hydroxymethyl carboca-tion and subsequently by benzyl carbocation—each formed by protonation of OH followed by loss of water. There is much less benzyl ether bridging between benzene rings compared to the resole prepolymers. 

Since benzenesulfonyl peroxide was used as an initiator in polymerization reactions, it was thought that a free radical aromatic substitution of benzene by the benzenesulfonoxy radical takes place. A detailed study by Dannley and Knipple reveals that attachment of the sulfonoxy group derived from a bis(arylsulfonyl) peroxide to the aromatic ring occurs by electrophilic aromatic substitution (equation 5) °. 

The alkenes most reactive to cationic polymerization contain electron-donating functional groups that can stabilize the carbocation intermediate. The reactivity order of substituents in cationic polymerization is similar to the reactivity order of substituted benzenes in electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions. 

Because the elementary reactions of cationic alkene polymerizations are directly related to the organic chemistry of carbocations, Chapter 2 will investigate electrophilic additions to double bonds, nucleophilic substitution, electrophilic aromatic substitution, and elimination reactions. 

Cationic intermediates are considered the active species in many organic reactions, as well as in cationic polymerizations. For example, cationic intermediates are postulated in both electrophilic addition and elimination reactions. They are also involved in electrophilic aromatic substitutions and in some nucleophilic aliphatic substitutions. The latter reactions may involve either onium or carbenium ions. The current understanding of... 

Revision of electrophilic aromatic substitution (Chapter 22) and formation of a difunctional spacer, first step in polymerization. 

Hence, the initial major product is a mono-substituted phenol [Eq. (1)]. Because the reaction is done under aqueous acidic conditions, the products shown in Eq. (1) are not isolated. Instead, a methylene bridge is formed between the phenyl rings [Eq. (2)]. In both Eqs. (1) and (2) the mechanism is an electrophilic aromatic substitution. Heating the system so as to promote removal of water and polymerization results in thermoplastic material known as novolac (1). This thermoplastic resin can be mixed with hexamethylenetetramine (formed from ammonia and formaldehyde) and stored until cure. Heating this system produces an excess of formaldehyde and ammonia. A cross-linked polymer results from the cure. The linkages are mostly methylene and amino groups. 

Several chain transfer to polymer reactions are possible in cationic polymerization. Transfer to cationic propagating center can occur either by electrophilic aromatic substitution (as in the polymerization of styrene as well as other aromatic monomers) or hydride transfer. Short chain branching found in the polymerizations of 1-alkenes such as propylene may be attributed to intermolecular hydride transfer to polynier. The propagating carbocations are reactive secondary carbocations that can abstract tertiary hydrogens from the polymer ... 

Similarly bis (3,5-dimethyl phenyl) disulfides yielded the corresponding polymer 209b in the absence of acid. In both cases it is suggested that ArSS+(Ar)SAr, formed in the reaction, effects electrophilic aromatic substitution by acting as an ArS+ donor. This same polymerization process can also be achieved by photooxidation of bis (3,5-dimethylphenyl) disulfide in the presence of 2,3-dicyanonaphthalene as sensitizer in acetonitrile containing trifluoro-acetic acid [486]. 

Pyrrole, furan, and thiophene are aromatic compounds that undergo electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions preferendally at C-2. These compounds are more reactive than benzene toward electrophiles. When pyrrole is protonated, its aromahcity is destroyed. Pyrrole polymerizes in strongly acidic solutions. Indole, benzofuran, and benzothiophene are aromatic compounds that contain a five-membered aromatic ring fused to a benzene ring. 

An aqueous Friedel-Crafts reaction has also been used in polymer synthesis. The acid-catalyzed polymerization of benzylic alcohol and fluoride functionality in monomeric and polymeric fluorenes was investigated in both organic and aqueous reaction media. Polymeric products are consistent with the generation of benzylic cations that participate in electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions. Similar reactions occurred in a water-insoluble Kraft pine lignin by treatment with aqueous acid. A Bisphenol A-type epoxy resin is readily emulsified in aqueous medium with an ethylene oxide adduct to a Friedel-Crafts reaction product of styrene and 4-(4-cumyl)phenol as emulsifier.Electrophilic substitution reaction of indoles with various aldehydes and ketones proceeded smoothly in water using the hexamethylenetetramine-bromine complex to afford the corresponding Z A(indolyl)methanes in excellent yields.InFs-catalyzed electrophilic substitution reactions of indoles with aldehydes and ketones are carried out in water.Enzymatic Friedel-Crafts-type electrophilic substitution reactions have been reported. ... 

The polymerization is in fact a chain-growth reaction and allows access to high molecular weight polyphosphazenes such as poly(dimethylphosphazene) and poly(methylphenylphosphazene) (2). Methyl deprotonation/substitution of these polymers as well as electrophilic aromatic substitution of the phenyl substituents in poly(methylphenylphosphazene) have been developed as versatile strategies for the derivatization of both of these polymers (eq. 3) (3). 

Early work performed by Lenz et al. in the 1960s demonstrated this approach by using electrophilic aromatic substitution to produce poly(phenylene sulfide) [91] (Scheme 1.10). In this case, an aryl halide is the electrophile, which is substituted by the metal thiophenoxide nucleophile. In the monomer, the metal sulfide is a strong electron-donating group, which deactivates the para position where electrophilic substitution must take place. Conversely, the polymer chain end is only weakly deactivated by the sulfide bond, rendering the polymeric aryl halide more reactive than the monomeric aryl halide. Unfortunately, Lenz was unable to characterize molecular weight distribution due to the insolubility of the resultant polymers. 

JCei/u ofds Polysulfones, polysulfonylation, electrophilic aromatic substitution, post-polymerization, chemical modification... 

Under the conditions employed for these processes, nonaromatic conjugated polyenes would rapidly polymerize. However, the stabihty of the benzene ring allows it to survive. Let us begin with the general mechanism of electrophilic aromatic substitution. 

Suspension polymerization was applied to prepare polynor-bomene aosslinked beads suitable for use as supports in organic synthesis. The monomers used included norbor-nene, norbom-2-ene-5-methanol, and aosslinking agents including bis(norbom-2-ene-5-methoxy)alkanes, di(norbom-2-ene-5-methyl)ether, and l,3-di(norbom-2-ene-5-methoxy) benzene. The initial resins, which were unsaturated, were subsequently modified using hydrogenation, hydrofluorination, chlorination, or bromination to yield saturated resins with varying properties. They were reported to be superior to more traditional styrene-divinylbenzene resins due to reduced interference in electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions (e.g., Friedel-Crafts acylation and nitration). 

For example, direct fluorinations with elemental fluorine are kept imder control in this way, at very low conversion and by entrapping the molecules in a molecular-sieve reactor. As with some other aromatic substitutions they can proceed by either radical or electrophilic paths, if not even more mechanisms. The products are dif ferent then this may involve position isomerism, arising from different substitution patterns, when the aromatic core already has a primary substituent further, there may be changed selectivity for imdefined addition and polymeric side products (Figure 1.31). It is justified to term this and other similar reactions new , as the reaction follows new elemental paths and creates new products or at least new... 

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