Side-chain functionalization polymers 436 INDEX

Post-polymerization functionalization has also been applied to the synthesis of terpyridine-modified polymers [ 126]. In a recent approach, Schubert and colleagues employed this method to prepare poly(pentafluorostyrene) with terpyridines in the side chains [127]. First, poly(pentafluorostyrene) with a narrow polydispersity index of just 1.08 was synthesized by nitroxide-mediated polymerization. In a second step, this polymer was converted with amine-functionalized terpyridine under microwave heating, selectively substituting the para-fluorines. Addition of iron(II) sulfate to a solution of the terpyridine-functionalized polymer in a mixture of chloroform and methanol leads to gelation at a polymer concentration of 33 g In another work, Schubert and coworkers prepared metal-cross-Iinked polymer networks from linear and tri-arm PEG precursors, both functionalized with terpyridine at their OH-termini [128]. Quantitative functionalization of these precursors was achieved by conversion of the hydroxy-functionalized PEG derivatives with 4-chloro-2,2 6, 2"-terpyridine under basic conditions. However, quantitative cross-linking with iron(II) chloride was not observed in methanol solutions, neither at room temperature nor at elevated temperature, but only a small quantity of cross-linked material precipitated from the solution. This observation was attributed to a strong tendency of the tri-arm PEG to form intramolecular complexes, acting as a chain stopper rather than as a cross-linker. 

This chapter has discussed the analysis of reactors for step-growth polymerization assuming the equal reactivity hypothesis to be valid. Polymerization involves an infinite set of elementary reactions under the assumption of this hypothesis, the polymerization can be equivalently represented by the reaction of functional groups. The analysis of a batch (or tubular) reactor shows that the polymer formed in the reactor cannot have a polydispersity index (PDI) greater than 2. However, the PDI can be increased beyond this value if the polymer is recycled or if an HCSTR is used for polymerization. A comparison of the kinetic model with experimental data shows that the deviation between the two exists because of (1) several side reactions that must be accounted for, (2) chain-length-dependent reactivity, (3) unequal reactivity of various functional groups, or (4) comphca-tions caused by mass transfer effects. 

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