Effect of Head-to-Head Addition in Vinyl Acetate Controlled Radical Polymerization: Why Is Co(acac)2-Mediated Polymerization so Much Better?

PVAylation: precision end-functionalized poly(vinyl alcohol) for site-selective bioconjugation

The (bio)conjugation of polymers onto proteins enhances their pharmacokinetics and stability, most commonly using PEG (polyethylene glycol), but there is a need for alternatives. Poly(vinyl alcohol), PVA, is a water-soluble, biocompatible and environmentally degradable polymer, which also has the unique function of ice recrystallisation inhibition (IRI) which can aid the cryopreservation of biologics. Site-specific PVA bioconjugation ("PVAylation") is underexplored due to the challenge of obtaining homogenous mono end-functional PVA. Here we show that following deprotection of the acetate (from the precursor poly(vinyl acetate)), the concurrent xanthate end-group reduction leads to a diversity of ambiguous end-groups which prevented precision conjugation. This is overcome by using a photo-catalyzed reduction of the omega-terminal xanthates to C-H, which is orthogonal to active-ester bioconjugation functionality at the alpha-chain terminus, demonstrated by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. This strategy enabled the preparation of well-defined mono-functional PVA displaying alkyne, biotin and O6-benzylguanine chain-end functionalities, which are each then used for covalent or non-covalent site-specific modification of three model proteins, introduce ice-binding function. These results will enable the synthesis of new bioconjugates containing PVA and be of particular benefit for low-temperature applications.

Design of Vinylboron Monomers for the Comprehensive Structural Control of Poly(vinyl alcohol)s via Stereospecific Controlled Radical Polymerization and Subsequent Side-Chain Replacement

A series of vinylboron monomers was designed, wherein the boron atom is protected by N-alkyl-substituted anthranilamide moieties, in order to prepare poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) polymers via stereospecific RAFT polymerization and subsequent oxidation of the pendant boron groups with comprehensive control over primary structural factors, i.e., branching structure, molecular weight, tacticity, and block sequencing with other monomers. In contrast to vinylboron monomers that are protected by nonsubstituted anthranilamide moieties, those protected with N-alkyl-substituted anthranilamide moieties allowed suppressing backbiting reactions during the radical polymerization, thus enabling the generation of linear PVAs. In particular, when relatively bulky substituents such as isobutyl and neopentyl groups were installed on the anthranilamide protecting group, the polymerization proceeded in an isospecific fashion through helical conformation, yielding isotactic PVAs. Stereoblock PVAs and a vinyl alcohol-acrylamide block copolymer were also synthesized via RAFT polymerization, and the thermal properties specific to tacticity, e.g., dual melting behavior affected by the two segments, were observed.

Synthesis of Well-Defined Poly(vinyl alcohol-co-vinyl acetate) Copolymers by Alcoholysis of Poly(vinyl acetate) Synthesized by Macromolecular Design via Interchange of Xanthate Polymerization, and Their Use as a Stabilizer in Emulsion (Co)polymerization of Vinyl Acetate

This work aims at synthesizing tailor-made poly(vinyl alcohol-co-vinyl acetate) (PVA) amphiphilic copolymers, obtained by alcoholysis of poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) that could display improved properties as stabilizers compared to commercially available PVAs. Well-defined PVAs with different alcoholysis degrees were produced from a library of PVAc homopolymers synthesized by macromolecular design via interchange of xanthate polymerization and exhibiting different degrees of polymerization degrees. Subsequently, these PVAs were evaluated as stabilizers in the emulsion copolymerization of VAc and vinyl neodecanoate (VERSA 10, referred to as V10) and compared to a commercially available reference PVA obtained by alcoholysis of PVAc formed by conventional radical polymerization. In all cases, stable latexes were obtained and compared in terms of their colloidal characteristics. To identify the best stabilizer candidate, the amount of PVA remaining in water and not participating to the particle stabilization was evaluated in each case.

A mononuclear cobalt(III) carboxylate complex with a fully O-based coordination sphere: CoIII-O bond homolysis and controlled radical polymerisation from [Co(acac)2(O2CPh)]

The addition of benzoyl peroxide to [Co^II(acac)₂] in a 1 : 2 ratio selectively produces [Co^III(acac)₂(O₂CPh)], a diamagnetic (NMR) mononuclear Co^III complex with an octahedral (X-ray diffraction) coordination geometry. It is the first reported mononuclear Co^III derivative with a chelated monocarboxylate ligand and an entirely O-based coordination sphere. The compound degrades in solution quite slowly by homolytic Co^III-O₂CPh bond cleavage upon warming above 40 °C to produce benzoate radicals and can serve as a unimolecular thermal initiator for the well-controlled radical polymerisation of vinyl acetate. Addition of ligands (L = py, NEt₃) induces benzoate chelate ring opening and formation of both cis and trans isomers of [Co^III(acac)₂(O₂CPh)(L)] for L = py under kinetic control, then converting quantitatively to the cis isomer, whereas the reaction is less selective and equilibrated for L = NEt₃. The py addition strengthens the Co^III-O₂CPh bond and lowers the initiator efficiency in radical polymerisation, whereas the NEt₃ addition results in benzoate radical quenching by a redox process. In addition to clarifying the mechanism of the radical polymerisation redox initiation by peroxides and rationalizing the quite low efficiency factor for the previously reported [Co^II(acac)₂]/peroxide-initiated organometallic-mediated radical polymerisation (OMRP) of vinyl acetate, this investigation provides relevant information on the Co^III-O homolytic bond cleavage process.

Multi-responsive γ-methylene-γ-butyrolactone/N-vinyl caprolactam copolymers involving pH-dependent reversible lactonization

Copolymerization of γ-methylene-γ-butyrolactone with N-vinyl caprolactam leads to a peculiar multi-responsive NVCL-based system involving a unique reversible pH-dependent ring opening/closure of the pendant lactones.

One-Pot Synthesis of Polyethylene-Based Block Copolymers via a Dual Polymerization Pathway

Polyethylene-poly(methyl acrylate) multiblock copolymers were obtained using a catalyst system consisting of a pentamethylcyclopentadienyl cobalt complex (Co^III(η⁵-C₅H₅)P(OMe)₃I₂) and iso-butyl modified methylaluminoxane (MMAO). As the chain-growth mechanism, the self-switching between organometallic-mediated radical polymerization (OMRP) and coordination-insertion polymerization (CIP) is suggested. As a possible polymerization mechanism, we propose that (1) the methyl and iso-butyl groups transfer from Al to Co and the single methyl acrylate (MA) unit insertion into the Me-Co and H-Co allows for the in situ formation of Co-C(COOMe) bonds as an initiator for OMRP of MA, (2) the migratory insertion of ethylene into Co-C(COOMe) bonds leads to the formation of an alkyl-Co species as active species for CIP of ethylene, and (3) MA insertion to the alkyl-Co to regenerate a Co-C(COOMe) bond. The architectures of copolymers were confirmed by various nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)/differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) analyses.

Green Polymerization of Vinyl Acetate Using Maghnite-Na+, an Exchanged Montmorillonite Clay, as an Ecologic Catalyst

In this work, the green polymerization of vinyl acetate is carried out by a new method which consists in the use of clay called Maghnite-Na+ as an ecological catalyst, non-toxic, inexpensive and recyclable by a simple filtration. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy showed that Maghnite-Na+ is successfully obtained after cationic treatment (sodium) on crude maghnite. It is an effective alternative to replace toxic catalysts such as benzoyl peroxide and azobisisobutyronitrile which are mostly used during the synthesis of polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) making the polymerization reaction less problematic for the environment. The synthesis reaction is less energetic by the use of recycled polyurethane as a container for the reaction mixture and is considered as a renewable material and a good thermal insulator maintaining the temperature of 273 K for 6 h. The reaction in bulk is also preferred to avoid the use of a solvent and therefore to stay in the context of green chemistry. In these conditions, the structure of obtained polymer is established by 1H NMR and 13C NMR. Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was also used to confirm the structure of PVAc. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that it is thermally stable and starts to degrade at 603 K while differential scanning calorimetry showed that this polymer has a glass transition temperature Tg of 323 K.

Recoverable and recyclable nickel–cobalt magnetic alloy nanoparticle catalyzed reversible deactivation radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate at 25 °C

Recyclable Ni–Co alloy catalyzed synthesis of well-defined poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA, up to 129 500 g mol⁻¹) with narrow-dispersity (Đ = 1.30) via a reversible deactivation radical polymerization technique is reported.

Oxygen-Triggered Switchable Polymerization for the One-Pot Synthesis of CO2 -Based Block Copolymers from Monomer Mixtures

Switchable polymerization provides the opportunity to regulate polymer sequence and structure in a one-pot process from mixtures of monomers. Herein we report the use of O₂ as an external stimulus to switch the polymerization mechanism from the radical polymerization of vinyl monomers mediated by (Salen)Co^III -R [Salen=N,N'-bis(3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylidene)-1,2-cyclohexanediamine; R=alkyl] to the ring-opening copolymerization (ROCOP) of CO₂ /epoxides. Critical to this process is unprecedented monooxygen insertion into the Co-C bond, as rationalized by DFT calculations, leading to the formation of (Salen)Co^III -O-R as an active species to initiate ROCOP. Diblock poly(vinyl acetate)-b-polycarbonate could be obtained by ROCOP of CO₂ /epoxides with preactivation of (Salen)Co end-capped poly(vinyl acetate). Furthermore, a poly(vinyl acetate)-b-poly(methyl acrylate)-b-polycarbonate triblock copolymer was successfully synthesized by a (Salen)cobalt-mediated sequential polymerization with an O₂ -triggered switch in a one-pot process.

Determination of head addition incidence of (meth)acrylate and styrene in radical polymerization by RAFT block polymerization derivation and gradient polymer elution chromatography

Head addition incidences in RAFT polymerization can be calculated by a combination technology of RAFT block polymerization derivation and GPEC.

Visible light induced radical coupling reactions for the synthesis of conventional polycondensates

We herein report a facile visible light induced synthetic method for preparing a series of conventional polycondensates, namely polyesters, polyurethanes and polyamides.

Precision design of vinyl amine and vinyl alcohol-based copolymers via cobalt-mediated radical polymerization

Controlling the amount and the distribution of vinyl amine and vinyl alcohol units within a copolymer is attractive to modulate the properties of the parent major industrial homopolymers, i.e. poly(vinyl amine) and poly(vinyl alcohol).

Bis(formylpyrrolyl) cobalt complexes as mediators in the reversible-deactivation radical polymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate

Bis(formylpyrrolyl) cobalt complexes mediate the reversible-deactivation radical polymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate.

Catalyzed Chain Transfer in Vinyl Acetate Polymerization Mediated by 9-Oxyphenalenone Cobalt(II) Complexes

The vinyl acetate (VAc) radical polymerization initiated by V-70 at 30 °C in the presence of [Co^II(OPN)₂] (OPN = deprotonated 9-oxyphenalenone), 1, leads to PVAc of lower molecular weight (MW) than expected for organometallic-mediated radical polymerization (OMRP), whether reversible termination or degenerate transfer conditions are used. This represents the first clear evidence of catalyzed chain transfer (CCT) in VAc polymerization. The bis-pyridine adduct [Co^II(OPN)₂(py)₂], 2, shows a marginally lower polymerization rate and an increased CCT activity relative to 1, whereas the activity decreases with marginal effect on the polymerization rate upon addition of excess py. However, raising the temperature to 80 °C (with AIBN as initiator) led to a low MW polymer even in the presence of a large py excess. The CCT was confirmed by ¹H NMR characterization of the chain ends and by a MALDI-TOF MS analysis of the recovered polymer. The collective trends are consistent with greater CCT activity for the 5-coordinate complex [Co^II(OPN)₂(py)] relative to 1 and 2. The presence of py association/dissociation equilibria relating these three complexes was confirmed by a ¹H NMR investigation.

RAFT polymerization to form stimuli-responsive polymers

Stimuli-responsive polymers respond to a variety of external stimuli, which include optical, electrical, thermal, mechanical, redox, pH, chemical, environmental and biological signals. This paper is concerned with the process of forming such polymers by RAFT polymerization.

Polymerization-induced self-assembly of PVAc-b-PVDF block copolymers via RAFT dispersion polymerization of vinylidene fluoride in dimethyl carbonate

This article reports the results of the study of the RAFT dispersion polymerization of VDF in dimethyl carbonate using PVAc macroCTAs. The morphology of the resulting crystalline polymer aggregates is likely governed by crystallization of the PVDF.

Determination and correlation of regioselectivity and dead dormant species from head addition in acrylate RAFT polymerization

The dead dormant species from head addition in a RAFT process can be separated and quantified by combining chain-extension and GPEC.

RAFT synthesis of well-defined PVDF-b-PVAc block copolymers

This article reports that PVDF-b-PVAc diblock copolymers can be synthesized by RAFT polymerization from PVDF macroCTAs and rationalizes this discovery using DFT calculations.

Direct one-pot synthesis of poly(ionic liquid) nanogels by cobalt-mediated radical cross-linking copolymerization in organic or aqueous media

Nanogels of controlled kinetic chain length were synthesized by cobalt-mediated radical cross-linking copolymerization (CMRccP) involving a vinyl monomer and a divinyl cross-linker.