Methylene bridges, reaction

Fig. 15.3.55. Synthesis of hypercrosslinked resins via deliberate exploitation of methylene bridging reaction.

The second step is a condensation reaction that involves the linking together of monomer units with the Hberation of water to form a dimer, a polymer chain, or a vast network. This is usually referred to as methylene bridge formation, polymerization, resinification, or simply cure, and is illustrated in the following equation ... 

Between 10 and 15 parts of hexa are used in typical moulding compositions. The mechanism by which it cross-links novolak resins is not fully understood but it appears capable of supplying the requisite methylene bridges required for cross-linking. It also functions as a promoter for the hardening reaction. 

During the hardening of PMF-resins no co-condensation occurs in the hardened state two independent interpenetrating networks exist [58]. Indications for a co-condensation via methylene bridges between the phenolic nucleus and the amido group of the melamine had been found by H-NMR only in model reactions between phenolmethylols and melamine. 

As shown in Eigure 18.17, thiamine is composed of a substituted thiazole ring joined to a substituted pyrimidine by a methylene bridge. It is the precursor of thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP), a coenzyme involved in reactions of carbo-... 

The reaction of polyacrylamide with formaldehyde under acid conditions leads to the formation of a methylene bridge (—CONHCH2—O—CH2NHCO—). 

The second step is the condensation reaction between the methylolphe-nols with the elimination of water and the formation of the polymer. Crosslinking occurs hy a reaction between the methylol groups and results in the formation of ether bridges. It occurs also by the reaction of the methylol groups and the aromatic ring, which forms methylene bridges. The formed polymer is a three-dimensional network thermoset ... 

The acid-catalyzed reaction occurs by an electrophilic substitution where formaldehyde is the electrophile. Condensation between the methylol groups and the benzene rings results in the formation of methylene bridges. Usually, the ratio of formaldehyde to phenol is kept less than unity to produce a linear fusible polymer in the first stage. Crosslinking of the formed polymer can occur by adding more formaldehyde and a small amount of hexamethylene tetramine (hexamine. 

Novolacs are prepared with an excess of phenol over formaldehyde under acidic conditions (Fig. 7.6). A methylene glycol is protonated by an acid from the reaction medium, which then releases water to form a hydroxymethylene cation (step 1 in Fig. 7.6). This ion hydroxyalkylates a phenol via electrophilic aromatic substitution. The rate-determining step of the sequence occurs in step 2 where a pair of electrons from the phenol ring attacks the electrophile forming a car-bocation intermediate. The methylol group of the hydroxymethylated phenol is unstable in the presence of acid and loses water readily to form a benzylic carbo-nium ion (step 3). This ion then reacts with another phenol to form a methylene bridge in another electrophilic aromatic substitution. This major process repeats until the formaldehyde is exhausted. 

Since a small amount of water is always present in novolac resins, it has also been suggested that some decomposition of HMTA proceeds by hydrolysis, leading to the elimination of formaldehyde and amino-methylol compounds (Fig. 7.15).42 Phenols can react with the formaldehyde elimination product to extend the novolac chain or form methylene-bridged crosslinks. Alternatively, phenol can react with amino-methylol intermediates in combination with formaldehyde to produce ortho-or para-hydroxybenzylamines (i.e., Mannich-type reactions). 

The final structure of resins produced depends on the reaction condition. Formaldehyde to phenol (F/P) and hydroxyl to phenol (OH/P) molar ratios as well as ruction temperahne were the most important parameters in synthesis of resols. In this study, the effect of F/P and OH/P wt%, and reaction temperature on the chemical structure (mono-, di- and trisubstitution of methyrol group, methylene bridge, phenolic hemiformals, etc.) was studied utilizing a two-level full factorial experimental design. The result obtained may be applied to control the physical and chemical properties of pre-polymer. 

Methylene bridges between amido nitrogens by the reaction of methylol and amino groups on reacting molecules (Figure 19.3a)... 

The Effect of Phenol. Three types of phenol compounds have been identified in the fractions derived from the product of the phenol ati on reaction (.1,2) alkyl phenols and alkyl-aryl ethers, both formed by combining phenol with alkyl side chains cleaved from the coal molecule, and compounds made up of aromatic fragments attached to phenol by a methylene bridge, formed by... 

Figure 15.1 Reactions of formaldehyde with peptides and amino acids. Shown are the four types of reaction products seen when peptides or amino acids are treated with formaldehyde in aqueous solution. These reaction products are methylol (hydroxymethyl) adduct (reaction 15.1), Schiff-base (reaction 15.2), 4-imidazolidinone adduct (reaction 15.3), and one type of methylene bridge [cross-link] (reaction 15.4).

Formaldehyde reacts with proteins to form adducts and cross-links.31516 Metz et al.3 have identified three types of chemical modifications after treatment of proteins with formaldehyde (a) methylol (hydroxymethyl) adducts, (b) Schiff bases, and (c) methylene bridges. The reaction of formaldehyde with proteins is summarized in Figure 19.1, but briefly, formaldehyde reacts primarily with lysine and cysteine to form methylol adducts. The methylol adduct can subsequently undergo a dehydration reaction to form a Schiff base. Adducted primary amine and thiol groups can undergo a second reaction with arginine,... 

Figure 19.1 A schematic view of the common formaldehyde-induced modifications in proteins. Reactive methylol adducts are formed in the initial reaction between formaldehyde and cysteine or the amino groups of basic amino acid residues. The methylol adduct can subsequently undergo a dehydration reaction to form a Schiff s base. Adducted residues can undergo a second reaction to form methylene bridges or can convert to the ethoxymethyl adduct after the ethanol dehydration step.

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