Of cyclic monomers

Polymerization equilibria frequently observed in the polymerization of cyclic monomers may become important in copolymerization systems. The four propagation reactions assumed to be irreversible in the derivation of the Mayo-Lewis equation must be modified to include reversible processes. Lowry114,11S first derived a copolymer composition equation for the case in which some of the propagation reactions are reversible and it was applied to ring-opening copalymerization systems1 16, m. In the case of equilibrium copolymerization with complete reversibility, the following reactions must be considered. 

Anionic copolymerization of cyclic monomers occurs only between similar monomer pairs. Random copolymers are not formed between vinyl monomers and epoxides or lactones198 because the propagating species are very different. Thus, the success of the copolymerization of cyclic disulfide and nitropropylene was an exceptional case... 

The condensation of amino acids likewise may produce cyclic and/or linear products the same is true of virtually all polyfunctional condensation reactions. The conversion of cyclic monomers and dimers (or other cyclic low polymers) to chain polymers was discussed in the preceding chapter the reverse reaction may often occur as well. Thus the alternative ring and chain products which may be produced by condensation of a bifunctional monomer usually are interconvertible, but with varying degrees of facility. 

The principles set forth above account reasonably well for the course of bifunctional condensations under ordinary conditions and for the relative difficulty of ring formation with units of less than five or more than seven members. They do not explain the formation of cyclic monomers from five-atom units to the total exclusion of linear polymers. Thus 7-hydroxy acids condense exclusively to lactones such as I, 7-amino acids give the lactams II, succinic acid yields the cyclic anhydride III, and ethylene carbonate and ethylene formal occur only in the cyclic forms IV and V. 

Ring-opening polymerization of cyclic monomers, usually by anionic or cationic catalysts, is another route to elastomers. These include the polymerization of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane... 

Lipase-Catalyzed Ring-Opening Polymerization of Cyclic Monomers... 

By the presence of cyclic monomer units obtained, for example, from cyclic olefins (benzofuran, indene, etc.) (58, 254). The erythro- and threo-diisotactic stractures (26, 27 or in a different representation 77, 78) are chiral. If B is equal to A (cyclobutene or analogous monomers) only the threo-diisotactic structure 27 is chiral. 

The ring-opening polymerizations of cyclic monomers such as propylene oxide... 

The ionic chain polymerization of unsaturated linkages is considered in this chapter, primarily the polymerization of the carbon-carbon double bond by cationic and anionic initiators (Secs. 5-2 and 5-3). The last part of the chapter considers the polymerization of other unsaturated linkages. Polymerizations initiated by coordination and metal oxide initiators are usually also ionic in nature. These are called coordination polymerizations and are considered separately in Chap. 8. Ionic polymerizations of cyclic monomers is discussed in Chap. 7. The polymerization of conjugated dienes is considered in Chap. 8. Cyclopolymerization of nonconjugated dienes is discussed in Chap. 6. 

In addition to step and chain polymerizations, another mode of polymerization is of importance. This is the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of cyclic monomers such as cyclic ethers, acetals, amides (lactams), esters (lactones), and siloxanes. Ring-opening polymerization is of commercial interest in a number of systems, including the polymerizations of ethylene oxide... 

A wide variety of cyclic monomers have been successfully polymerized by the ring-opening process [Frisch and Reegan, 1969 Ivin and Saegusa, 1984 Saegusa and Goethals, 1977]. This includes cyclic amines, sulfides, olefins, cyclotriphosphazenes, and IV-carboxy-oc-amino acid anhydrides, in addition to those classes of monomers mentioned above. The ease of polymerization of a cyclic monomer depends on both thermodynamic and kinetic factors as previously discussed in Sec. 2-5. 

Although the literature contains much on copolymerizations of cyclic monomers, including data on monomer reactivity ratios, the reader is cautioned that most of the data are less reliable than corresponding data for radical copolymerizations of alkenes (Chap. 6). The... 

Polymers prepared at 250-270 °C contain an equilibrium concentration of up to 10% of cyclic monomer and partly cyclic higher oligomers after cooling, the monomer and oligomers can be recovered by extraction with water or lower al-... 

The ring opening polymerization of cyclic monomers that yield thermoplastic polymers of interest in composite processing is reviewed. In addition, the chemistry, kinetics, and rheology of the ring opening polymerization of caprolactam to nylon 6 are presented. Finally, the rheo-kinetics modelsfor polycaprolactam are applied to the composite process of reaction injection pultrusion. 

Ring opening polymerization of cyclic monomers to yield thermoplastic polymers has been studied by a number of investigators [1-19] over the years. A variety of cyclic monomers ranging in structures from the more commonly encountered olefins, ethers, formals, lactones,... 

Polycarbonates, both aliphatic and aromatic, have been prepared by the ring opening polymerization of cyclic monomers or oligomers [22], Cyclic monomeric precursors are more common in aliphatic polycarbonates, but because of steric reasons aromatic polycarbonates can only be prepared from cyclic oligomers. Both cationic and anionic initiators have been examined and anionic initiators appear to be more efficient. 

The actual polymerization takes place in an autoclave under inert atmosphere, where the supernatant liquid of the foregoing step is placed with the dried and rectified monomer and the second catalyst compound, namely diethylaluminum chloride in 1,2-dichloroethane solution (15). The polymerization is conducted at 70°C for 60 min while stirring well. According to this recipe, a series of cyclic monomers can be polymerized. Examples are shown in Table 1.3. 

Figure 2.2 Polymerization of Cyclic Monomers (9-11). (RO) ROMP, (VA) Vinyl Addition Polymerization, (R/I) Radical/Ionic Polymerization...

Some work has been done on the electrolytically initiated polymerization of cyclic monomers. 

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