Polymerization oligomer synthesis

Catalysts used in the polymerization of C-5 diolefins and olefins, and monovinyl aromatic monomers, foUow closely with the systems used in the synthesis of aHphatic resins. Typical catalyst systems are AlCl, AIBr., AlCl —HCl—o-xylene complexes and sludges obtained from the Friedel-Crafts alkylation of benzene. Boron trifluoride and its complexes, as weU as TiCl and SnCl, have been found to result in lower yields and higher oligomer content in C-5 and aromatic modified C-5 polymerizations. 

ADMET is quite possibly the most flexible transition-metal-catalyzed polymerization route known to date. With the introduction of new, functionality-tolerant robust catalysts, the primary limitation of this chemistry involves the synthesis and cost of the diene monomer that is used. ADMET gives the chemist a powerful tool for the synthesis of polymers not easily accessible via other means, and in this chapter, we designate the key elements of ADMET. We detail the synthetic techniques required to perform this reaction and discuss the wide range of properties observed from the variety of polymers that can be synthesized. For example, branched and functionalized polymers produced by this route provide excellent models (after quantitative hydrogenation) for the study of many large-volume commercial copolymers, and the synthesis of reactive carbosilane polymers provides a flexible route to solvent-resistant elastomers with variable properties. Telechelic oligomers can also be made which offer an excellent means for polymer modification or incorporation into block copolymers. All of these examples illustrate the versatility of ADMET. 

Detailed procedures for the synthesis ofa,o>-organofunctionally terminated siloxane oligomers with well defined structures have been given 50,66-67). Tables 6 and 7 provide the data on the synthesis and characteristics of aminopropyl and hydroxybutyl terminated polydimethylsiloxane oligomers prepared via anionic and cationic ringopening polymerization of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D in the presence of appropriate disiloxanes, respectively. 

Amine-terminated siloxane oligomers have also been utilized in the synthesis of various siloxane-amide and siloxane-imide copolymers, High molecular weight siloxane-amide copolymers have been synthesized by the solution or interfacial co-polymerization of siloxane oligomers with sebacoyl chloride or terephthaloyl chloride respectively 1S5,165). In some reactions diamine chain extenders have also been utilized. Thermal and dynamic mechanical characterization of these copolymers have shown the formation of multiphase systems160). Compression molded films displayed very good elastomeric properties. 

Synthesis of PDMS-b-(e-caprolactam) ABA block copolymers was reported 343 In these reactions, anhydride-terminated PDMS oligomers were used to initiate the polymerization of -caprolactam in the presence of a catalytic amount of sodium hydride in melt at 130 °C. Under these conditions, the reaction was reported to be completed in... 

This is clo.sely related to the Tertiary radical synthesis" scheme for the preparation of organocobalt porphyrins, in which alkenes insert into the Co—H bond of Co(Por)H instead of creating a new radical as in Eq. (13). If the alkene would form a tertiary cobalt alkyl then polymerization rather than cobalt-alkyl formation is observed. " " " The kinetics for this process have been investigated in detail, in part by competition studies involving two different alkenes. This mimics the chain transfer catalysis process, where two alkenes (monomer and oligomers or... 

The anionic method of polymerization is most useful for the synthesis of low molecular weight hydroxy-terminated oligomers and polymers that are to be further processed. For example, the treatment of hydroxy-terminated oligomers with isocyanates has been used to obtain polyester-urethanes (9,20), while triblock copolymers (PCL-PEG-PCL) are prepared by initiating the polymerization of e-caprolactone with the disodium alcoholate from polyethylene glycol (26). 

We have demonstrated a new class of effective, recoverable thermormorphic CCT catalysts capable of producing colorless methacrylate oligomers with narrow polydispersity and low molecular weight. For controlled radical polymerization of simple alkyl methacrylates, the use of multiple polyethylene tails of moderate molecular weight (700 Da) gave the best balance of color control and catalyst activity. Porphyrin-derived thermomorphic catalysts met the criteria of easy separation from product resin and low catalyst loss per batch, but were too expensive for commercial implementation. However, the polyethylene-supported cobalt phthalocyanine complex is more economically viable due to its greater ease of synthesis. 

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