Maleimides

The mechanism of the cross-link promotion of maleimides is assumed to be based on copolymerization of the polymer via its unsaturations with the maleimide molecules initiated by radicals, and in particular, by allylic radicals produced during the radiolysis of the polymer.  

When tested in other polymers, maleimides did not affect the rate of cross-linking in polydimethylsiloxane, polyisobutylene, and polyvinylchloride. In polyethylene, the addition of 5 wt.% of m-phenylene dimaleimide increased the G(X) from 1.8 to 7.2. In the polyvinylacetate the effect was even more pronounced the dose for gelation was reduced by about a factor of 50. Contrary to the cross-link enhancing effect found for m-phenylene dimaleimide, cross-linking was retarded in polyvinyl acetate by the addition of monomaleimides. When analyzing the mechanism of the reaction it was concluded that monomaleimides are not expected to affect cross-linking in saturated polymers.  

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Breslow studied the dimerisation of cyclopentadiene and the reaction between substituted maleimides and 9-(hydroxymethyl)anthracene in alcohol-water mixtures. He successfully correlated the rate constant with the solubility of the starting materials for each Diels-Alder reaction. From these relations he estimated the change in solvent accessible surface between initial state and activated complex " . Again, Breslow completely neglects hydrogen bonding interactions, but since he only studied alcohol-water mixtures, the enforced hydrophobic interactions will dominate the behaviour. Recently, also Diels-Alder reactions in dilute salt solutions in aqueous ethanol have been studied and minor rate increases have been observed Lubineau has demonstrated that addition of sugars can induce an extra acceleration of the aqueous Diels-Alder reaction . Also the effect of surfactants on Diels-Alder reactions has been studied. This topic will be extensively reviewed in Chapter 4. 

The 1.3-diene system formed by cydization is useful for further modifications. typically Diels-Alder reactions. The 1,3-diene 51 reacts with maleimide to give 52[35], Similarly, the 1.3-diene 59 undergoes a Diels-Alder reaction, and this sequence was used for the syntheses of sterepolide (60 )[37] and mer-ulidial[38]. 

A large variety of bisimides and polymers containing maleimide and citraconimide end groups have also been reported (21—26). Thus polymers based on bisimidobenzoxazoles from the reaction of maleic anhydride and citraconic anhydride with 5-aniino-2-(p-aniinophenyl)benzoxazole and 5-aniino-2(y -aniinophenyl)benzoxazole are found to be thermally stable up to 500°C in nitrogen. 

Polymerization by Gycloaddition. Bisimides and oligoimides capped with reactive unsaturations such as maleimide, acetylene, and xylylene groups, can be chain-extended by a cycloaddition reaction with proper bisdienes. 

DADC may be polymerised industrially with small amounts of other miscible Hquid monomers. Some acryflc ester monomers and maleic anhydride may accelerate polymerisation. Copolymerisation with methacrylates, diaHyl phthalates, triaHyl isocyanurate, maleates, maleimides, and unsaturated polyesters are among the examples in the early Hterature. Copolymers of DADC with poly-functional unsaturated esters give castings of high clarity for eyeglass lenses and other optical appHcations (20). 

Pubhcations on curing polymers with TAIC include TEE—propylene copolymer (135), TEE—propylene—perfluoroaHyl ether (136), ethylene—chlorotrifluoroethylene copolymers (137), polyethylene (138), ethylene—vinyl acetate copolymers (139), polybutadienes (140), PVC (141), polyamide (142), polyester (143), poly(ethylene terephthalate) (144), sdoxane elastomers (145), maleimide polymers (146), and polyimide esters (147). 

V-Alkyl or A/-aryl succinimides can be prepared from the corresponding amines (107) or from succinic anhydride, ammonia, and the corresponding alcohol (108). Succinimides are also obtained by vapor-phase hydrogenation of the corresponding maleimides ia the presence of a catalyst (109). 

Showdomycin. Showdomycin (2-p-D-ribofuranosyhnaleimide) (7) is a maleimide C-nucleoside antibiotic synthesi2ed by S. showdoensis-, isoshowdomycin (8) and maleimycin (9) have also been isolated (1—6). Showdomycin is not phosphorylated by nucleoside kinase and is not a substrate for nucleoside phosphorylase. Once (7) enters the cell, it blocks the uptake of glucose and other nutrients. 

Bismaleimides are best defined as low molecular weight, at least diftinctional monomers or prepolymers, or mixtures thereof, that carry maleimide terminations (Eig. 3). Such maleimide end groups can undergo homopolymerization and a wide range of copolymerizations to form a highly cross-linked network. These cure reactions can be effected by the appHcation of heat and, if required, ia the presence of a suitable catalyst. The first patent for cross-linked resias obtained through the homopolymerization or copolymerization of BMI was granted to Rhc ne Poulenc, Erance, ia 1968 (13). Shordy after, a series of patents was issued on poly(amino bismaleimides) (14), which are synthesized from bismaleimide and aromatic diamines. 

The common synthetic route to bismaleimides or maleimide functionalized oligomers is the condensation of diamines or amino-terminated oligomers with maleic anhydride. Another possibiUty is the use of an AB-type monomer of the following general formula to build the polymaleimide, where X represents a functional group that can be employed in condensation reactions. 

The maleimide is prebuilt into the molecule in a separate step. Maleimidobenzoic acid [17075-07-7] or its acid haUde was used to synthesize maleintide-terrninated polyamides (16,17) or polyesters (27) from amino- or hydroxy-terminated polyamides and polyesters, respectively. The Hterature on bismaleimide prepolymers and bismaleimide building blocks is quite extensive (28), but only a limited number of BMI building blocks have been used for commercial resin formulations. 

Fig. 7. Acetylene-terminated aspartimides. (a) Reaction of aromatic diamine with A/-(3-ethynylphenyl)maleimide [105280-01-17 ia a 1 2 molar ratio yields a prepolymer of this general formula, (b) Bismaleimide reacts with 3-ethynylaniline [54060-30-9] ia a 1 2 molar ratio to yield a prepolymer of this general...

The Michael addition of nucleophiles to the carbon—carbon double bond of maleimide has been exploited ia the synthesis of a variety of linear polymers through reaction of bismaleimide with bisthiols (39). This method has been used to synthesize ethynyl-terminated imidothioether from the reaction of 4,4 -dimercaptodiphenyl ether [17527-79-6] and A/-(3-ethynylphenyl)maleimide (40). The chemical stmcture of this Michael addition imide thermoset is as follows ... 

The Michael addition reaction of amines and thiols with bismaleimides or functionalized monomaleimides is a versatile tool ia the synthesis of chain-extended maleimide-terroinated prepolymers. These prepolymers generally are soluble ia organic solvents from which they can be processed to prepreg and molded to high quaUty, void-free laminates. 

Diels-AIder Copolymers. The Diels-Alder reaction can also be employed to obtain thermosetting polyimides. If bismaleimide (the bisdienophile) and the bisdiene react nonstoichiometricaHy, with bismaleimide in excess, a prepolymer carrying maleimide terminations is formed as an intermediate, which can then be cross-linked to yield a temperature-resistant network. 

Three different covalent cure systems are commonly used sulfur-based or sulfur donor, peroxide, and maleimide. These systems rely on a cross-linking agent and one or more accelerators to develop high cross-link density. 

In the maleimide cure, the cross-linking agent is -y -phenjlenedimaleimide [3006-93-7] HVA-2. This system has two significant advantages Htharge is not required for high cross-link density and low compression set may be obtained. The accelerators are weak bases, ie,... 

Compound, phr Sulfur cure Maleimide Optimum heat resistance Peroxide... 

The nitrosation of pyrroles and indoles is not a simple process. The 3-nitroso derivatives (84) obtained from indoles exist largely in oximino forms (85) (80IJC(B)767). Nitrosation of pyrrole or alkylpyrroles may result in ring opening or oxidation of the ring and removal of the alkyl groups. This is illustrated by the formation of the maleimide (86) from 2,3,4 -trime thylpyrrole. 

Methyl maleimide [930-88-1] M 111.1, m 94-96 . Crystd three times from diethyl ether. 

Over the years many attempts have been made to produce commercial acrylic polymers with a higher softening point than PMMA. The usual approach was to copolymerise MMA with a second monomer such as maleic anhydride or an N-substituted maleimide which gave homopolymers with a higher Tg than PMMA. In this way copolymers with Vicat softening points as high as 135°C could be obtained. 

In the narrow sense, bis-maleimide resin means the thermosetting resin eom-posed of the bis-maleimide of methylene dianiline (BMI, bis(4-maleimidophenyl)-methane) and methylene dianiline (MDA, bis(4-aminophenyl)methane) (Fig. 1). Beeause of the addition meehanism, the resin is eured without elimination, whieh is a eharacteristic of this resin. Bis-maleimide resin is used as a thermally stable matrix up to 204°C (400 F) whieh typical epoxy resins may not normally be used. However, in spite of having an imide structure, bis-maleimides are classified as being moderately thermally stable resins. The aliphatic structure of the resin is not stable for long periods above 232°C (450°F.) If a highly aromatic thermally stable thermosetting resin is necessary, acetylene end-capped aromatic imide-based oligomers should be used. 

The original compound, maleimide (2,5-dioxo-A -pyrroline), is synthesized by the cyclo-condensation of ammonia and maleic acid. Similarly, primary amine is added to maleic anhydride, followed by cyclocondensation, to form N-substituted maleimide (Fig. 2). This reaction is applied to the preparation of bis-maleimides (BMl) [1]. At first, BMI was used as a crosslinking agent for natural rubber (NR). An o-dichlorobenzene solution of NR was crosslinked by BMI at I08-150°C in the presence of peroxides. The radicals generated from peroxides react with the double bonds of both BMI and NR [ 1 ]. 

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