Reactivity Ratios, Cationic

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. 

The conversion of aromatic monomers relative to C-5—C-6 linear diolefins and olefins in cationic polymerizations may not be proportional to the feedblend composition, resulting in higher resin aromaticity as determined by nmr and ir measurements (43). This can be attributed to the differing reactivity ratios of aromatic and aHphatic monomers under specific Lewis acid catalysis. Intentional blocking of hydrocarbon resins into aromatic and aHphatic regions may be accomplished by sequential cationic polymerization employing multiple reactors and standard polymerization conditions (45). 

VEs do not readily enter into copolymerization by simple cationic polymerization techniques instead, they can be mixed randomly or in blocks with the aid of living polymerization methods. This is on account of the differences in reactivity, resulting in significant rate differentials. Consequendy, reactivity ratios must be taken into account if random copolymers, instead of mixtures of homopolymers, are to be obtained by standard cationic polymeriza tion (50,51). Table 5 illustrates this situation for butyl vinyl ether (BVE) copolymerized with other VEs. The rate constants of polymerization (kp) can differ by one or two orders of magnitude, resulting in homopolymerization of each monomer or incorporation of the faster monomer, followed by the slower (assuming no chain transfer). 

Epichlorohydrin Elastomers without AGE. Polymerization on a commercial scale is done as either a solution or slurry process at 40—130°C in an aromatic, ahphatic, or ether solvent. Typical solvents are toluene, benzene, heptane, and diethyl ether. Trialkylaluniinum-water and triaLkylaluminum—water—acetylacetone catalysts are employed. A cationic, coordination mechanism is proposed for chain propagation. The product is isolated by steam coagulation. Polymerization is done as a continuous process in which the solvent, catalyst, and monomer are fed to a back-mixed reactor. Pinal product composition of ECH—EO is determined by careful control of the unreacted, or background, monomer in the reactor. In the manufacture of copolymers, the relative reactivity ratios must be considered. The reactivity ratio of EO to ECH has been estimated to be approximately 7 (35—37). 

Let us now return to the question of solvolysis and how it relates to the stracture under stable-ion conditions. To relate the structural data to solvolysis conditions, the primary issues that must be considered are the extent of solvent participation in the transition state and the nature of solvation of the cationic intermediate. The extent of solvent participation has been probed by comparison of solvolysis characteristics in trifluoroacetic acid with the solvolysis in acetic acid. The exo endo reactivity ratio in trifluoroacetic acid is 1120 1, compared to 280 1 in acetic acid. Whereas the endo isomer shows solvent sensitivity typical of normal secondary tosylates, the exx> isomer reveals a reduced sensitivity. This indicates that the transition state for solvolysis of the exo isomer possesses a greater degree of charge dispersal, which would be consistent with a bridged structure. This fact, along with the rate enhancement of the exo isomer, indicates that the c participation commences prior to the transition state being attained, so that it can be concluded that bridging is a characteristic of the solvolysis intermediate, as well as of the stable-ion structure. ... 

The ratio of the different isomeric products was found to vary with time, temperature, and initial concentration. This suggested that some kind of equilibration was occurring between isomers. I3C NMR spectroscopy of a reaction mixture showed, upon cooling, the reversible formation of a pair of signals in the anomeric region. These signals were ascribed to the anomeric carbon atoms of fructofuranosyl fluorides (10), which were presumed to be in equilibrium with the reactive fructofuranosyl cation, 11. 

For any specific type of initiation (i.e., radical, cationic, or anionic) the monomer reactivity ratios and therefore the copolymer composition equation are independent of many reaction parameters. Since termination and initiation rate constants are not involved, the copolymer composition is independent of differences in the rates of initiation and termination or of the absence or presence of inhibitors or chain-transfer agents. Under a wide range of conditions the copolymer composition is independent of the degree of polymerization. The only limitation on this generalization is that the copolymer be a high polymer. Further, the particular initiation system used in a radical copolymerization has no effect on copolymer composition. The same copolymer composition is obtained irrespective of whether initiation occurs by the thermal homolysis of initiators such as AIBN or peroxides, redox, photolysis, or radiolysis. Solvent effects on copolymer composition are found in some radical copolymerizations (Sec. 6-3a). Ionic copolymerizations usually show significant effects of solvent as well as counterion on copolymer composition (Sec. 6-4). 

It has previously been shown that large changes can occur in the rate of a cationic polymerization by using a different solvent and/or different counterion (Sec. 5-2f). The monomer reactivity ratios are also affected by changes in the solvent or counterion. The effects are often complex and difficult to predict since changes in solvent or counterion often result in alterations in the relative amounts of the different types of propagating centers (free ion, ion pair, covalent), each of which may be differently affected by solvent. As many systems do not show an effect as do show an effect of solvent or counterion on r values [Kennedy and Marechal, 1983]. The dramatic effect that solvents can have on monomer reactivity ratios is illustrated by the data in Table 6-10 for isobutylene-p-chlorostyrene. The aluminum bromide-initiated copolymerization shows r — 1.01, r2 = 1.02 in n-hexane but... 

Monomer reactivity ratios and copolymer compositions in many anionic copolymerizations are altered by changes in the solvent or counterion. Table 6-12 shows data for styrene-isoprene copolymerization at 25°C by n-butyl lithium [Kelley and Tobolsky, 1959]. As in the case of cationic copolymerization, the effects of solvent and counterion cannot be considered independently of each other. For the tightly bound lithium counterion, there are large effects due to the solvent. In poor solvents the copolymer is rich in the less reactive (based on relative rates of homopolymerization) isoprene because isoprene is preferentially complexed by lithium ion. (The complexing of 1,3-dienes with lithium ion is discussed further in Sec. 8-6b). In good solvents preferential solvation by monomer is much less important and the inherent greater reactivity of styrene exerts itself. The quantitative effect of solvent on copolymer composition is less for the more loosely bound sodium counterion. 

The radical reaction mechanism was confirmed by polymerizing a mixture of styrene and methyl methacrylate. The ratio of the monomers in the copolymer (1.15) was nearly equal to the value (1.05) calculated from the reactivity ratio for radical copolymerization and differed considerably from the value of 10.5 for the cationic copolymerization and from the value 0.15 for anionic copolymerization (78). 

These results suggest that the reaction conditions for the syntheses of PCEVE-NPVE and PCEVE-NNVE can be accomplished by the reactions of PCVE with any ratio of potassium cinnamate and PNP or PNN in one pot using a phase transfer catalyst. In addition, it is to be expected that PCEVE-NPVE and PCEVE-NNVE prepared from the reactions of PCVE have the same degree of polymerization if no side reactions occur during the substitution reactions. It is also expected that these copolymers are more random compared to the copolymers prepared from the cationic copolymerizations of the monomers, because the former is not affected by the monomer reactivity ratios. 

For a detailed analysis of monomer reactivity and of the sequence-distribution of mers in the copolymer, it is necessary to make some mechanistic assumptions. The usual assumptions are those of binary, copolymerization theory their limitations were discussed in Section III,2. There are a number of mathematical transformations of the equation used to calculate the reactivity ratios and r2 from the experimental results. One of the earliest and most widely used transformations, due to Fineman and Ross,114 converts equation (I) into a linear relationship between rx and r2. Kelen and Tudos115 have since developed a method in which the Fineman-Ross equation is used with redefined variables. By means of this new equation, data from a number of cationic, vinyl polymerizations have been evaluated, and the questionable nature of the data has been demonstrated in a number of them.116 (A critique of the significance of this analysis has appeared.117) Both of these methods depend on the use of the derivative form of,the copolymer-composition equation and are, therefore, appropriate only for low-conversion copolymerizations. The integrated... 

The interpretation presented above appears reasonable so far, but it lacks clear-cut support because of the intricate mechanism of the cationic homopolymerization. Therefore, it is interesting to investigate the effect of an electric field on the monomer reactivity ratios in the copolymerizations, which depend on the rates of propagation only. 

We condude this section by stating that the field-accelerating effect on copolymerizations and the change of the monomer reactivity ratio with the field can be accounted for in terms of the interpretation proposed for cationic homopolymerizations, namely the field-facilitated dissociation of the growing chain ends. We should note that the observed field influence on the copolymerization excludes the possibility of the electroinitiated polymerization mechanism. 

Comparing the reactivity ratios of the DADMAC/AAM copolymerization with results of the copolymerization of other cationic monomers with AAM, significant differences can be identified. The differences between rx and r2 are much lower, and the cationic monomer even reacts preferentially during the copolymerization. As an example, for cationic methacrylic esters and methacrylamid derivatives, 1 nonideal copolymerization preferring the cationic component. For the cationic analogs of acrylic acid and acrylamide, 0.34azeotropic copolymerization, preferring the cationic monomer only at low content in the comonomer mixture. 

Most of the reported polyfvinyl ether) macromonomers have been prepared with a methacrylate end group which can be radically polymerized and which is non-reactive under cationic polymerization conditions [71-73]. Generally, the synthesis was based on the use of the functional initiator 30, which contains a methacrylate ester group and a function able to initiate the cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers. Such initiator can be obtained by the reaction of HI and the corresponding vinyl ether. With initiator 30 the polymerization of ethyl vinyl ether (EVE) was performed using I2 as an activator in toluene at -40 °C. The MW increased in direct proportion with conversion, and narrow MWD (Mw/Mn= 1.05-1.15) was obtained. The chain length could be controlled by the monomer to initiator feed ratio. Three poly(EVE) macromonomers of different length were prepared by this method Mn=1200,5400, and 9700 g mol-1. After complete... 

Using Al(i-C4H9)3/TiCl4 catalyst for copolymerization of styrene with substituted styrenes, the reactivity ratios showed that cationic copolymerization occurred at Al/Ti< 1 and that stereospecific coordinated anionic copolymerization took place at Al/Ti > 2.5. 

Table III shows the increase of molecular weight of BCMO polymerization with conversion, although the polymer tends to precipitate. The monomer reactivity ratios of DOL-BCMO copolymerization were previously determined as rx (DOL) = 0.65 0.05, r2 (BCMO) = 1.5 0.1 at 0°C. by BF3 Et20 (8). Table IV shows a preparation of block copolymer of DOL, St, and BCMO. In the first step we polymerized DOL and St in the second step we added BCMO to this living system. The copolymer obtained showed an increase of molecular weight, and considerable BCMO was incorporated in the copolymer still remaining soluble in ethylene dichloride. The solubility behavior together with the increase of molecular weight with addition of BCMO shows that this polymer consists of block sequences of DOL-St and (St)-DOL-BCMO. This we call block and random copolymer of DOL-St—BCMO. We can deny the presence of BCMO, St, or DOL homopolymers in this system, but some chain-breaking reactions are unavoidable, leading to copolymer mixtures. Thus, the principle of formation of block copolymers by cationic system is partly substantiated.

In the copolymerization of trioxane with dioxolane, reactivity ratios of dissolved copolymer cations are quite different from those of active centers in the crystalline phase. The former strongly prefer addition of dioxolane. The difference in reactivity ratios between dissolved and precipitated active centers is attributed to the fact that in the solid phase, polymerization and crystallization of the copolymer are simultaneous. The cationic chain ends are assumed to be directly on the crystal surface. Determination of the equilibrium concentrations of formaldehyde confirms this conclusion dissolved copolymer has a higher tendency to cleave formaldehyde than crystalline polyoxymethylene. In the latter stages of copolymerization the soluble copolymer is degraded gradually to the dioxolane monomer which is incorporated into the crystalline copolymer in an almost random distribution. 

It seems most important, therefore, to know one reactivity ratio— r1 for copolymer cations with terminal trioxane (Mi) unit. The second reactivity ratio, r2, may be expected to have little significance on the polymerization and on the composition of the copolymer. 

In the homopolymerization of dioxolane below 30°C. tertiary oxonium ions exist exclusively (2, 5). Otherwise hydride transfer would occur (carbonium ions abstract hydride from monomeric cyclic formats) (II, 16). In trioxane polymerization, however, at least some of the active chain ends are carbonium ions they cause hydride transfer and elimination of formaldehyde (9, II, 13). Thus, in copolymerization we must expect two different kinds of structures for cationic chains with terminal trioxane unit. Oxonium ions (I) and carbonium ions (II) may have different reactivity ratios in the copolymerization, but hopefully this does not cause severe disturbance since I and II seem to be in a fast kinetic equilibrium with each other (3). Hence, we expect [I]/[II] to be constant under similar reaction conditions. 

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