Polar Monomer Polymerization

The high polar group tolerance of co-catalyst-free ylide nickel catalysts makes them interesting candidates for fhe polymerization of polar monomers. In fact, quite a number of polar vinyl monomers can be homo- and copolymerized quite effectively. The mechanisms of initiation and chain propagation have not been elucidated yet. Especially, acrylic monomers are well suited. It is fhus possible to produce, for example, poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(efhyl acrylate) and poly-(butyl acrylate) in high yield [Eq. (15)]. 

The molecular weights achievable, with proper temperature control, are high g/mol) to ultrahigh (M 10 g/mol), the polydispersities are narrow 

With [NiPh(Ph2PCHCPhO)(Pr3PCHPh)] applied at a polymerization temperature of 80 °C in bulk polymerization, a copolymer with a molecular weight M,=681 kg moh and a polydispersity of 3.8 has been obtained in high yield. The glass transition temperature Tg was determined by DSC to be -67 °C. 

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Polarizing filter (analyzer), 24 675 Polarizer filter dichroic dyes, 9 340 Polar monomers, polymerization of, 26 113-114... 

Polarization, and NLO properties, 12, 102 Polarized optical microscopy, metallomesogen mesophase characterization, 12, 208 Polar monomers, polymerization, 1, 147 Polar polyolefins, co-polymerizations, 11, 723 Polyacetylenes... 

The fact that the polar monomers polymerize in a Markovnikov fashion may be ascribed to the strong withdrawal of electrons from the double bond, rendering the a carbon more electronegative than the p one. This method allows one to prepare polar block or grafted silicone copolymers of unique properties, e.g., thermoplastic elastomers [73]. 

The nonpolar glycidyl methacrylate was randomly distributed in either case. Apparently, in emulsion polymerization polar monomers polymerize in the interfacial region and tend to remain there as the particles grow. 

Tacticity of products. Most solid catalysts produce isotactic products. This is probably because of the highly orienting effect of the solid surface, as noted in item (1). The preferred isotactic configuration produced at these surfaces is largely governed by steric and electrostatic interactions between the monomer and the ligands of the transition metal. Syndiotacticity is mostly produced by soluble catalysts. Syndiotactic polymerizations are carried out at low temperatures, and even the catalyst must be prepared at low temperatures otherwise specificity is lost. With polar monomers syndiotacticity is also promoted by polar reaction media. Apparently the polar solvent molecules compete with monomer for coordination sites, and thus indicate more loosely coordinated reactive species. 

Acrylamide copolymerizes with many vinyl comonomers readily. The copolymerization parameters ia the Alfrey-Price scheme are Q = 0.23 and e = 0.54 (74). The effect of temperature on reactivity ratios is small (75). Solvents can produce apparent reactivity ratio differences ia copolymerizations of acrylamide with polar monomers (76). Copolymers obtained from acrylamide and weak acids such as acryUc acid have compositions that are sensitive to polymerization pH. Reactivity ratios for acrylamide and many comonomers can be found ia reference 77. Reactivity ratios of acrylamide with commercially important cationic monomers are given ia Table 3. 

In order to increase the solubiUty parameter of CPD-based resins, vinyl aromatic compounds, as well as other polar monomers, have been copolymerized with CPD. Indene and styrene are two common aromatic streams used to modify cyclodiene-based resins. They may be used as pure monomers or contained in aromatic steam cracked petroleum fractions. Addition of indene at the expense of DCPD in a thermal polymerization has been found to lower the yield and softening point of the resin (55). CompatibiUty of a resin with ethylene—vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers, which are used in hot melt adhesive appHcations, may be improved by the copolymerization of aromatic monomers with CPD. As with other thermally polymerized CPD-based resins, aromatic modified thermal resins may be hydrogenated. 

Group-Transfer Polymerization. Living polymerization of acrylic monomers has been carried out using ketene silyl acetals as initiators. This chemistry can be used to make random, block, or graft copolymers of polar monomers. The following scheme demonstrates the synthesis of a methyl methacrylate—lauryl methacrylate (MMA—LMA) AB block copolymer (38). LMA is CH2=C(CH2)COO(CH2) CH2. 

A long-standing goal in polyolefins is the synthesis of polymers bearing polar functional groups such as acrylate, esters, or vinyl ethers, etc [24,40]. These copolymers might endow polyolefins with useful properties such as adhesiveness, dyeability, paintability, and print-ibility. Advances have recently been made in polymerizing polar monomers with cationic metallocene catalysts... 

The free radical initiators are more suitable for the monomers having electron-withdrawing substituents directed to the ethylene nucleus. The monomers having electron-supplying groups can be polymerized better with the ionic initiators. The water solubility of the monomer is another important consideration. Highly water-soluble (relatively polar) monomers are not suitable for the emulsion polymerization process since most of the monomer polymerizes within the continuous medium, The detailed emulsion polymerization procedures for various monomers, including styrene [59-64], butadiene [61,63,64], vinyl acetate [62,64], vinyl chloride [62,64,65], alkyl acrylates [61-63,65], alkyl methacrylates [62,64], chloroprene [63], and isoprene [61,63] are available in the literature. 

For less polar monomers, the most extensively studied homopolymerizations are vinyl esters (e.g. VAc), acrylate and methacrylate esters and S. Most of these studies have focused wholly on the polymerization kinetics and only a few have examined the mierostructures of the polymers formed. Most of the early rate data in this area should be treated with caution because of the difficulties associated in separating effects of solvent on p, k and initiation rate and efficiency. 

ATRP is usually performed in solution. Many solvents can be used with the proviso that they do not interact adversely with the catalyst. Common solvents include ketones (butanonc, acetone) and alcohols (2-propanol). Solvents such as anisole and diphenyl ether are frequently used for polymerizations of S and other less polar monomers to provide greater catalyst solubility. 

In recent years homoleptic lanthanide(III) tris(amidinates) and guanidinates have been demonstrated to exhibit extremely high activity for the ring-opening polymerization of polar monomers such as e-caprolactone and trimethylene... 

As described in Section 9.1.2.2.3, several lanthanocene alkyls are known to be ethylene polymerization catalysts.221,226-229 Both (188) and (190) have been reported to catalyze the block copolymerization of ethylene with MMA (as well as with other polar monomers including MA, EA and lactones).229 The reaction is only successful if the olefin is polymerized first reversing the order of monomer addition, i.e., polymerizing MMA first, then adding ethylene only affords PMMA homopolymer. In order to keep the PE block soluble the Mn of the prepolymer is restricted to <12,000. Several other lanthanide complexes have also been reported to catalyze the preparation of PE-b-PMMA,474 76 as well as the copolymer of MMA with higher olefins such as 1-hexene.477... 

At the first step, the insertion of MMA to the lanthanide-alkyl bond gave the enolate complex. The Michael addition of MMA to the enolate complex via the 8-membered transition state results in stereoselective C-C bond formation, giving a new chelating enolate complex with two MMA units one of them is enolate and the other is coordinated to Sm via its carbonyl group. The successive insertion of MMA afforded a syndiotactic polymer. The activity of the polymerization increased with an increase in the ionic radius of the metal (Sm > Y > Yb > Lu). Furthermore, these complexes become precursors for the block co-polymerization of ethylene with polar monomers such as MMA and lactones [215, 217]. 

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