Vinyl monomers polymerization kinetics efficiency

For less polar monomers, the most extensively studied homopolymerizations are vinyl esters (e.g. VAc), acrylate and methacrylate esters and S. Most of these studies have focused wholly on the polymerization kinetics and only a few have examined the mierostructures of the polymers formed. Most of the early rate data in this area should be treated with caution because of the difficulties associated in separating effects of solvent on p, k and initiation rate and efficiency. 

Nevertheless, a few years ago, Kennedy 66 69) developed a method yielding co-functional polymers by cationic polymerization of vinyl monomers. The principle of the socalled inifer method is to kinetically favor transfer to the initiating species with respect to all other kinds of transfer reactions (especially the transfer to monomer). A typical initiating system is composed of an allyl or benzyl halide and boron trichloride BCl3. This mixture behaves like an alkenium tetrachloro-borate and readily initiates the polymerization of monomers such as isobutene or a-methylstyrene. The efficiency of the halide as a transfer agent depends on the lability of the C—Cl bond and on the molar ratio [RC1]/[BC13],... 

Generalized methods of initiating the polymerization of these monomers have recently been reviewed in detail [9], and were also mentioned briefly earlier in this Chapter. As with vinyl monomers initiation can be efficient and rapid, with the production of a fixed number of active centres. Propagation appears to be much slower, however, and rates of polymerization are comparable to those in free radical addition polymerizations. Techniques such as dilatometry, spectrophotometry etc. are therefore convenient for kinetic investigation of this type of cationic reaction. 

Abstract The in vitro enzyme-mediated polymerization of vinyl monomers is reviewed with a scope covering enzymatic polymerization of vitamin C functionalized vinyl monomers, styrene, derivatives of styrene, acrylates, and acrylamide in water and water-miscible cosolvents. Vitamin C functionalized polymers were synthesized via a two-step biocatalytic approach where vitamin C was first regioselectively coupled to vinyl monomers and then subsequently polymerized. The analysis of this enzymatic cascade approach to functionalized vinyl polymers showed that the vitamin C in polymeric form retained its antioxidant property. Kinetic and mechanistic studies revealed that a ternary system (horseradish peroxidase, H2O2, initiator fS-diketone) was required for efficient polymerization and that the initiator controls the characteristics of the polymer. The main attributes of enzymatic approaches to vinyl polymerization when compared with more traditional synthetic approaches include facile ambient reaction environments of temperature and pressure, aqueous conditions, and direct control of selectivity to generate functionalized materials as described for the ascorbic acid modified polymers. 

A number of years ago triphenylmethyl cation, Ph3C, formed in situ by dissociation of triphenylmethyl chloride, was shown [73] to initiate the polymerization of 2-ethylhexyl vinyl ether in m-cresol solvent. More recently certain stable carbonium ion salts, notably hexachloroantimonate (SbCls) salts of cycloheptatrienyl (tropylium, C7H7) and triphenylmethyl cations have been shown [74, 50] to be very efficient initiators of the cationic polymerization of many reactive monomers [27, 29, 75]. Since the discovery of the effectiveness of the SbClg salt, triphenylmethyl salts with different anions have also been used [76—78]. The most detailed kinetic studies using these initiators have been carried out on alkyl vinyl ethers [27, 30] and A-vinylcarbazole [39] in homogeneous solution in methylene chloride. 

Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) was selected as an exemplary CRP technique to systematically study the kinetics and gelation behavior during the concurrent copolymerization of monovinyl monomers and divinyl cross-linkers (Scheme 2). The effect of different parameters on the experimental gelation was studied, including the initial molar ratio of cross-linker to initiator, the concentrations of reagents, the reactivity of vinyl groups present in the cross-linker, the efficiency of initiation, and the polydispersity of primary chains. Experimental gel points based on the conversions of monomer and/or cross-linker at the moment of gelation, were determined and compared with each other in order to understand the influence of each parameter on the experimental gel points. 

Since the initiator concentration remains fairly unchanged in the course of vinyl polymerization, if the initiator efficiency is independent of monomer concentration, first-order kinetics with respect to the monomer is expected. This is indeed observed over a wide extent of reaction for the polymerization of styrene in toluene solution with benzoyl peroxide as initiator (Figure 7.3). The polymerization of certain monomers, either undiluted or in concentrated solution, shows a marked deviation Irom such first-order kinetics. At a certain stage in the polymerization process, there is a considerable increase in both the reaction rate and the molecular weight. This observation is referred to as autoacceleration or gel effect and is illustrated in Figure 7.4 for polymerization of methyl methacrylate at various concentrations of the monomer in benzene. 

Ruthenium catalysts are reactive only towards olefins. As a result, it is possible to introduce functional groups into the monomer prior to polymerizations. This was demonstrated by Hilf and Kilbinger [183] They demonstrated that small ring vinyl lactones and carbonates are efficient quenchers for the olefin metathesis polymerization. The slow kinetics of the reaction can be overcome by an excess of the reagent. The rapid termination of the polymerization reaction yields highly functionalized polymers with narrow molecular weight distribution ... 

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