Polyphenylene, hyperbranched

Figure 4 Generic structure of the polyphenylene hyperbranched polymer (10) synthesized by Kim and Webster.

Kim and Webster of DuPont [61] were the first to show that trifunctional benzene-based monomers can also be used to synthesize polyphenylenes, in their case hyperbranched structures based on 1,3,5-trisubstituted benzene rings. They self-condensed l,3-dibromophenyl-5-boronic acid,to form soluble,hyperbranched PPP-type macromolecules, 47. 

A carboxylate derivative of a fully aromatic, water-soluble, hyperbranched polyphenylene is considered as a unimolecular micelle due to its ability to complex and solubilize non-polar guest molecules [23]. The carboxylic acid derivative of hyperbranched polyphenylene polymer (HBP) (My,=5750-7077, Mn=3810-3910) consists of 40-60 phenyl units that branch outward from a central point forming a roughly spherical molecule with carboxylates on the outer surface. The free acid form of HBP was suspended in distilled water and dissolved by adding a minimum quantity of NaOH. The solution was adjusted to pH 6.2 with aqueous HCl. Calcium carbonate crystals were growth from supersaturated calcium hydrogencarbonate solution at room temperature. HBP gave... 

Carboxylic acid derivative of hyperbranched polyphenylene polymer (HBP)... 

One of the first hyperbranched polymers described in the literature was polyphenylenes, which were presented by Kim et al. [30-32] who also coined the term hyperbranched . The polyphenylenes were prepared via Pd(0) or Ni(II) catalyzed coupling reactions of various dihalophenyl derivatives such as di-bromophenylboronic acid. The polymers were highly branched polyphenylenes with terminal bromine groups which could be further transformed into a variety of structures such as methylol, lithiate, or carboxylate (Fig. 5). 

The polyphenylenes were brittle and did not form self-standing films when cast from solution. Therefore, they were considered poor materials. The use of these polymers was instead investigated as additives in polystyrene to improve processing and mechanical properties. A mixture of polystyrene and hyperbranched polyphenylene (5%) was studied and the results showed that the melt viscosity, especially at high temperatures and shear rates, was reduced by up to 80% as compared to pure polystyrene. Also, the thermal stability of polystyrene... 

One of the first properties of hyperbranched polymers that was reported to differ from those of linear analogs was the high solubility induced by the branched backbone. Kim and Webster [31] reported that hyperbranched polyphenylenes had very good solubility in various solvents as compared to linear polyphenylenes, which have very poor solubility. The solubility depended to a large extent on the structure of the end groups, and thus highly polar end-groups such as carboxylates would make the polyphenylenes even water-soluble. 

The thermal stability of hyperbranched polymers is related to the chemical structure in the same manner as for linear polymers for example, aromatic esters are more stable than aliphatic ones. In one case, the addition of a small amount of a hyperbranched polyphenylene to polystyrene was found to improve the thermal stability of the blend as compared to the pure polystyrene [31]. 

The lack of mechanical strength for thermoplastic hyperbranched polymers makes them more suitable as additives in thermoplast applications. Hyperbranched polyphenylenes have been shown to act successfully as rheology modifiers when processing linear thermoplastics. A small amount added to polystyrene resulted in reduced melt viscosity [31]. (Sect> 3.1). 

A wide range of other monomer units have been employed in the synthesis of hyperbranched macromolecules and the range of structures obtained is nearly as diverse as those for dendritic macromolecules. For example, hyperbranched polyphenylenes [93], polyesters [104, 107-109], polyethers [110-112], polyamides [113], polysilanes [114], polyetherketones [100], polycarbazoles [115], etc. [116-118] have been prepared. Interestingly, a number of groups have also used growth processes other than condensation chemistry to prepare hyper-... 

Kim YH, Webster OW. Water soluble hyperbranched polyphenylene a unimolecular micelle J Am Chem Soc 1990 112 4592-4593. 

Hyperbranched polymers are formed by polymerization of AB,-monomers as first theoretically discussed by Flory. A wide variety of hyperbranched polymer structures such as aromatic polyethers and polyesters, aliphatic polyesters. polyphenylenes, and aromatic polyamides have been described in the literature. The structure of hyperbranched polymers allows some defects, i.e. the degree of branching (DB) is less than one. The synthesis of hyperbranched polymers can often be simplified compared to the one of dendrimers since it is not necessary to use protection/deprotection steps. The most common synthetic route follows a one-pot procedure " where AB,-monomers are condensated in the presence of a catalyst. Another method using a core molecule and an AB,-monomer has been described. ... 

Kim and Webster laid the foundation for the first hyperbranched polyarenes ( polyphenylenes ) in the form of Suzuki-analogous aryl-aryl coupling. Micellar structures developed on this basis [39] are described in Section 4.1.8 (ionic den-drimers). 

Completely aromatic, hyperbranched polyphenylenes were synthesized as monodendrons from AB2 type monomers by Kim and Webster [111, 112]. These dendrimers were prepared either by the homocoupling of 3,5-dibromophenyl boronic acid under modified Suzuki conditions, or by aryl-aryl coupling reactions involving 3,5-dihalo-phenyl Grignard reagents in the presence of Ni(II) catalysts as shown in Scheme 7. 

In spite of an irregular polymer architecture, some amphiphilic, hyperbranched polyphenylene derivatives were found to assemble, forming quite uniform Langmuir monolayers at the water/air interface. For example, 3J assembled into a monolayer at the water/air interface and provided a surface similar to the Langmuir film of fatty acids in the nucleating of mineral crystallization on the water/air interface. 

Unlike the hyperbranched polyphenylene, polymer 11A with COOH groups at the surface did not dissolve in aqueous alkaline solution. For a given polymer, the solubility characteristics can be correlated to the conditions of polymerization. Thus, when polymer 11A was prepared in NMP or NMP/CaCl2, it dissolved rapidly in DMF at 20 °C. However, when the polymerization was conducted in the presence of a base such as Ca(OH)2, the polymer was insoluble in these amide solvents after isolation. 

Hereby, poly(p-phenylene) polymers containing ether and carbonyl linkages in the polymer backbone are accessible. By polymerization of the AB2 monomer 3,5-dibromobenzene boronic acid in a biphasic aqueous/organic medium, Kim and Webster obtained hyperbranched polyphenylenes [233]. Suzuki polycondensation in aqueous systems has proven to be a versatile method, which has been applied to the synthesis of various polymer types ]234]. 

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