Polymerization, activation ring-opening

Enzyme activity for the polymerization of lactones was improved by the immobilization on Celite [93]. Immobilized lipase PF adsorbed on a Celite showed much higher catalytic activity than that before the immobilization. The catalytic activity was further enhanced by the addition of a sugar or poly(ethylene glycol) in the immobilization. Surfactant-coated lipase efficiently polymerized the ring-opening polymerization of lactones in organic solvents [94]. 

It is believed that polymerization occurs via a chain polymerization where ring opening occurs via complete scission of the carbon-carbon double bond through the reaction with metal carbene precursors giving an active carbene species (structure 5.60). 

The diethylzinc-alcohol (1 2) system was also extensively studied by Tsuruta and his co workers (85,86). Amorphous zinc dialkoxide was concluded to be an active species, because crystalline zinc alkoxide prepared from zinc chloride and lithium alkoxide proved to have only a very small catalytic activity. Based on kinetic studies of the polymerization of propylene oxide with the ZnEt2-CH3OH (1 2) catalyst system, the catalytically active species was concluded to be the complex formed by coordination of one molecule of monomer to the catalyst. In the polymerization of propylene oxide with the catalyst system, it was concluded that the monomer was polymerized by ring opening brought about by cleaving the CH2-0 bond (87). 

These compounds are of particular interest as they have been shown to be active Ring Opening Metathesis Polymerization (ROMP) catalysts (see Metathesis Polymerization Processes by Homogeneous Catalysis). They are not, however, as effective as imido-based alkylidene systems (see next section). 

Reactivity characteristic of alkylidene complexes of tantalum is that the a-carbon is susceptible to electrophilic attack, in contrast to the electron-deficient a-carbon of Fischer-type carbene complexes of group 6 transition metals [62]. Based on this unique property of the alkylidene metal-carbon double bond, a range of new types of reactions has been developed. The discovery of the alkylidene complexes of tantalum was a key to understanding the mechanism of olefin metathesis, and they continue to play important roles in C—H bond activation, alkyne polymerization, and ring-opening metathesis polymerization. 

Photoinitiated Cationic Polymerization of Unusual Monomers Recently, novel monomers and macromonomers (Chart 11.12), namely, benzoxazines, monothiocarbonates, thiophene, and epoxy and vinyl ether functional polymers were reported to undergo photoinitiated cationic polymerization [2,118], Among them, benzoxazine monomers deserves a special attention as they yield thermosets with several excellent characteristics including heat resistance good flame retardance stable dielectric constants low water absorption and perfect dimensional stability. This type of thermosets is also obtained by thermally activated ring-opening polymerization at elevated temperatures without catalysts [19]. 

Generally speakiiig. transition metal catalysed polymerizaticHi cannot be performed in aqueous media since water destroys active catalyst complexes. However, there are a few monomers whidi have been ptdymerized in pure wat - via transition metal catalyzed reactions. The following discussion of these polymerizations have been divided into vinyl polymerizations and ring-opening metatiiesis polymerizations (ROMP). 

A number of anhydro sugar derivatives have also been polymerized in ring opening reactions catalyzed by Lewis acids (iO, 34,35,67,122-130, 133,134). These reactions in contrast proceed by an activated chain polymerization like that of a vinyl monomer or more closely like that of tetrahydrofuran which proceeds by means of a propagating trialkyl-oxonium ion on the end of the growing chain (/35) (Fig. 6). 

Interestingly, the first NHC complexes were reported with chromium (0) carbonyl by Ofele in 1968. Relatively few NHC early-transition metal complexes were then reported in the 1990s and this number steadily increased over the past decade. This subject is now mature moreover, the coordination chemistry of NHC has been investigated with alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, lanthanides or group 13-15 metals. Applications of these NHC complexes in catalysis now include, most notably, olefin polymerization or ring-opening polymerization of cyclic esters. Some of these complexes display high activity and selectivity and, in some instances, may compete with the best systems in the field. 

Ring-opening polymerizations are catalyzed by a wide variety of substances, including the bases OH and RO and the acids H and BF3 water is also used as a catalyst. The reactions proceed by the opening of the ring by the catalyst to form an active species. 

Nylon 4 is produced hy ring opening 2-pyrrolidone. Anionic polymerization is used to polymerize the lactam. Cocatalysts are used to increase the yield of the polymer. Carhon dioxide is reported to he an excellent polymerization activator. 

Heterochain polymers produced by ring-opening polymerization contain the hetero-atoms in the main chain as well as in the monomer and the polymer chain competes with the monomer for the reaction with the propagating species. This competition leads to polymer transfer and back-biting reactions during the polymerization. Heterochain polymers are also susceptible to depolymerization by the ionic active species which are easily formed during processing. 

An interesting feature of the ring opening polymerization of siloxanes is their ability to proceed via either anionic or cationic mechanisms depending on the type of the catalyst employed. In the anionic polymerization alkali metal hydroxides, quaternary ammonium (I NOH) and phosphonium (R POH) bases and siloxanolates (Si—Oe M ) are the most widely used catalysts 1,2-4). They are usually employed at a level of 10 2 to KT4 weight percent depending on their activities and the reaction conditions. The activity of alkali metal hydroxides and siloxanolates decrease in the following order 76 79,126). 

Ring opening polymerization of strained cyclic olefins, discussed previously, might exemplify such a system. The metalla-carbene, Met=CHR, is the active, and presumably labile form, while the ring species,... 

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... 

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