Polymerization with coordination complexes

A reaction with a cocatalyst is necessary in cationic polymerization, as well as in coordinate polymerizations with many complex metallic catalysts. In cationic polymerization, the reaction involves traces of water and generates hydrogen ion, the actual initiator. This is shown in Reaction 3 for boron trifluoride and isobutylene. 

As for other coordination polymerizations, the utilization of water as a reaction medium raises issues such as catalyst stability towards water, and miscibihty of the monomers, polymers and the catalyst with water. Concerning the catalyst stability towards water, to date polymerizations of alkynes in aqueous systems have only been reported with rhodium and iridium catalysts. Unfortunately, the mechanism of polymerization with these complexes in non-aqueous, organic reaction media has not been completely elucidated (vide supra). 

In this chapter we present an overview of this increasingly active research field. The first section focuses on coordination polymerization with metal complexes, classified by the nature of their ancillary ligands. The spectacular achievements reported recently in organocatalyzed and stereocontrolled ROP are then presented. The third section concerns the macromolecular engineering of poly(a-hydroxyac-ids) by varying both their substitution pattern (with alternative monomers to lactide and glycolide) and their architecture (via block, star and dendritic copolymers). The well-established and rapidly emerging applications of these synthetic polyesters are discussed briefly in the last section. 

Copolymers of VDC can also be prepared by methods other than conventional free-radical polymerization. Copolymers have been formed by irradiation and with various organometaHic and coordination complex catalysts (28,44,50—53). Graft copolymers have also been described (54—58). 

The influence of the length of the peptide chain on the coordination mode in [RsSnfrV)] complexes has recently been studied. The Gly-Gly-Gly moiety proved to be long enough to shade the —I effect of the Bz group in its N-Bz derivatives [R3Sn(IV)] complexes of N-Bz-Gly-Gly-Gly were considered to be polymeric, with monodentate carboxylate and -C = O coordination similar to that in the corresponding complexes of N-acetylated peptides. ... 

The trigonal planar zinc phenoxide complex [K(THF)6][Zn(0-2,6-tBu2C6H3)3] is formed by the reaction of a zinc amide complex, via a bis phenoxide, which is then further reacted with potassium phenoxide. TheoX-ray structure shows a nearly perfect planar arrangement of the three ligands with zinc only 0.04 A out of the least squares plane defined by the three oxygen atoms.15 Unlike the bisphenoxide complexes of zinc with coordinated THF molecules, these complexes are not cataly-tically active in the copolymerization of epoxides with C02. The bisphenoxide complex has also been structurally characterized and shown to be an effective polymerization catalyst. 43... 

Substituted terpyridine, 4,4, 4"-tris(5-nonyl)-2,2 <5, 2"-terpyridine (tNtpy), is a planar tridentate ligand that was successfully used in homogeneous ATRP of methyl acrylate and styrene [79]. Polymerization of both monomers was controlled and the resulting polymers had relatively low polydispersities (MJMn < 1.2). Similarly to PMDETA, the typical ligand to copper halide ratio used in the polymerization was 1 1. Terpyridine and its derivatives are expected to form tetra-coordinated complexes with copper in which the fourth coordination sphere is occupied by a monodentate ligand (Br-, Cl , solvent, monomer, etc.). Although,... 

Most network structures involving crown ethers are simple hydrogen bonded chains where the crown forms second sphere coordination interactions with a complex ion. These are known for [18]crown-6, [15]crown-5 and [12]crown-4 hosts with a variety of metal complexes [17-25]. For instance when combined with the small [12] crown-4, the perchlorate salts of Mn(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II) form polymeric chain structures with alternating crown ethers and [M(H20)6]2+ cations [19]. Similarly the larger [18]crown-6 forms simple linear chains with metal complexes and cations such as fra s-[Pt(NH3)2Cl2] [20], [Cu(NH3)4(H20)]2+ (Fig.2) [21],and [Mg(H20)5(N03)] + [22],... 

We were interested in the behaviour of polymeric catalysts in order to confirm that typical polymer effects may occur. Oxidative coupling of 2,6-disubstituted phenols, as developped by Hay (7), was chosen as a model reaction and the catalytic activities of coordination complexes of copper with several polymeric tertiary amines were compared with the activities of their low molecular weight analogs. The overall reaction scheme is presented in scheme 1. 

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