Monomers, vinyl donor-acceptor complexes

Further monomers with which maleic anhydride produces donor-acceptor complexes are conjugated dienes [191-193], vinyl ethers [194a], furan, thiophene, indole [195, 196], / -isopropenylnaphthalene [197], 4-vinylpy-ridine [194b], 2-vinyl-1,3-dioxolane [198], cycloalkenes [199] and other complicated vinylic or acrylic monomers [200]. Maleic anhydride complexes have even been observed in some terpolymerizations [201],... 

Henrici-Olive and Olive were the first to put forward the hypothesis that complexes are sometimes formed between the active centre and the monomer and or/solvent [45], As only the complex with monomer is capable of propagation, part of the centres is inhibited and the polymerization rate is reduced. This theory was found to be valid with styrene [46], but not with MMA [47]. Burnett called attention to the important circumstance that radicals solvated in various ways may react differently, or at least at different rates [47]. His conclusions were based on kinetic studies of MMA polymerization in various halogenated aromatics. In the copolymerization of butyl vinyl ether with methacrylates, complex formation between the active centre and condensed aromatics prior to monomer addition was observed by Shaik-hudinov et al. [48], The growing polymer forms a stable donor-acceptor complex with naphthalene, described by the formula. 

There exist many alternating copolymerizations ethylene or propene with alkyl acrylates [244], vinyl acetate with maleic anhydride [245], styrene with acrylonitrile [246], styrene with fumaronitrile [247], vinyl carbazol with fumaronitrile, vinyl ferrocenne with diethylfumarate [248], and further pairs or systems of three monomers [238, 249-253]. External conditions can support or hinder alternation. At not too high temperatures, vinyl acetate forms a donor—acceptor complex with maleic anhydride. Under these conditions (and in the presence of a radical initiator), an alternating copolymer is formed. The concentration of the complex decreases with increasing temperature above 363 K the complex cannot exist. Under these conditions, copolymerization yields a statistical copolymer whose composition depends on the composition of the monomer mixture [245]. 

While there is clear evidence for complex formation between certain electron donor and electron acceptor monomers, the evidence for participation of such complexes in copolymerization is often less compelling. One of the most studied systems is S-.V1 Al I copolymerization/8 75 However, the models have been applied to many copolymerizations of donor-acceptor pairs. Acceptor monomers have substituents such as carboxy, anhydride, ester, amide, imide or nitrile on the double bond. Donor monomers have substituents such as alkyl, vinyl, aryl, ether, sulfide and silane. A partial list of donor and acceptor monomers is provided in Table 7.6.65.-... 

Donor-Acceptor Molecular Complexes in Alternating Copolymerization and in the Polymerization of Metal Halide-Complexed Vinyl Monomers... 

Several studies on the reactivities of small radicals with donor-acceptor monomer pairs have been carried out to provide insight into the mechanism of copolymerizations of donor-acceptor pairs. Tirrell and coworkers " reported on the reaction of n-butyl radicals with mixtures of N-phcnylmalcimidc and various donor monomers e.g. S, 2-chloroethyl vinyl ether),. lenkins and coworkers have examined the reaction of t-butoxy radicals with mixtures of AN and VAc. Both groups have examined the S-AN system (see also Section 7.3.1.2). In each of these donor-acceptor systems only simple (one monomer) adducts are observed. Incorporation of monomers as pairs is not an important pathway i.e. the complex participation model is not applicable). Furthermore, the product mixtures can be predicted on the basis of what is observed in single monomer experiments. The reactivity of the individual monomers (towards initiating radicals) is unaffected by the presence of the other monomer i.e. the complex dissociation model is not applicable). Unless propagating species are shown to behave differently, these results suggest that neither the complex participation nor complex dissociation models apply in these systems. 

A few spontaneous copolymerizations between exceptionally reactive donor acceptor olefinic pairs have been observed. Miller and Gilbert [37] observed that vinylidene cyanide spontaneously copolymerized with vinyl ethers when the two monomers were mixed at room temperature. Yang and Gaoni [38] observed that 2,4,6-trinitrostyrene as the acceptor monomer spontaneously copolymerized with 4-vinylpyridine as the donor monomer when the two were mixed at room temperature. Butler and Sharpe [39] reported that divinyl ether and divinyl sulfone spontaneously copolymerized upon monomer mixing. Thus, the participation of the charge-transfer complex in the copolymerization mechanism of such strong electron donor electron acceptor monomer pairs appears to have considerable support. 

Iwatsuki and Yamashita (46, 48, 50, 52) have provided evidence for the participation of a charge transfer complex in the formation of alternating copolymers from the free radical copolymerization of p-dioxene or vinyl ethers with maleic anhydride. Terpolymerization of the monomer pairs which form alternating copolymers with a third monomer which had little interaction with either monomer of the pair, indicated that the polymerization was actually a copolymerization of the third monomer with the complex (45, 47, 51, 52). Similarly, copolymerization kinetics have been found to be applicable to the free radical polymerization of ternary mixtures of sulfur dioxide, an electron donor monomer, and an electron acceptor monomer (25, 44, 61, 88), as well as sulfur dioxide and two electron donor monomers (42, 80). 

Among the systems with chemical different donor and acceptor molecules, the photocopolymerization between maleic anhydride (MSA), which functions as an acceptor, and electron-rich monomers has been widely investigated. As donor monomers such compounds as styrene (Sty) [19-29], cyclohexene [30], N-vinylcarbazole [31], 2-vinyl naphthalene [32], vinyl acetate [33], 2.4.8.10-tetra-oxaspiro[5.5]undecan [34] and phenyl glycidyl ether (2,3-epoxypropyl phenyl ether, PGE) [35] have been used. In all the above cases, using high concentrations of both monomers, the absorption of the CT has been obtained in various solvents. Thus, with spectroscopic methods the complex formation constant Kct can be calculated (e.g., MSA-cyclohexene Kcl = 0.0681 mol -1 [33], MSA-tetrahydrofuran Kct = 0.331 mol-1 [36]), and a selective excitation of the CT is possible in many cases. 

An electron acceptor such as maleic anhydride forms complexes with many donors, amongst which is vinyl acetate [80, 189, 190], Its existence at 363 K was proved by UV spectroscopy, ll NMR and by the formation of an alternating copolymer [80]. The complex is not formed above 363 K. From the two monomers, a statistical copolymer is formed, its composition depending on the ratio of initial monomer concentrations. 

In formations of ternary complexes, the acceptor vinyl compound must have a double bond conjugated to a cyano or to a carbonyl group. Such acceptors are acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, acrylic and methacrylic esters and acids, methyl vinyl ketone, acrylamide, etc. Donor monomers are styrene, a-methyl styrene, butadiene, 2-3-dimethyl butadiene, isoprene, chloroprene, etc. 

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