ISSN:
0360-6376
Keywords:
Physics
;
Polymer and Materials Science
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
Notes:
Asymmetric selective (or stereoelective) polymerization of various racemic methacrylates with cyclohexylmagnesium bromide (c-HexMgBr)-(-)sparteine (1/1.2) catalyst was studied in toluene at -78°C. The methacrylates of α-ethylbenzyl (EBMA), α-isopropylbenzyl (i-PBMA), α-tert-butylbenzyl (t-BBMA), sec-butyl (s-BuMA), 1-methylallyl (1-MAMA), 2,3-epoxypropyl (2,3-EPMA), 2-phenylpropyl (2-PPMA), and menthyl (MentMA) alcohols were used as racemic monomers. In the polymerization of EBMA and i-PBMA (S) enantiomers were consumed preferentially and the optical purity of initially polymerized i-PBMA was as high as 97%. Optically pure (R) monomers were recovered at about 60% conversion for i-PBMA and 80% for EBMA. In t-BBMA, however, the (R) monomer was consumed preferentially over the (S) isomer. In the polymerization of s-BuMA and 1-MAMA (S) monomers were consumed in excess and the optical purity of the polymers formed in the early stage was about 30%. In 2,3-EPMA and 2-PPMA, which have asymmetric centers at the β position from the ester oxygen, (R) antipodes were more reactive. MentMA did not polymerize at -78°C. Enantiomer selectivity ratios rS and rR were determined in the polymerization of EBMA, i-PBMA, and 1-MAMA. All polymers except poly(t-BBMA) were highly isotactic, but the tacticity of poly(t-BBMA) could not be estimated. Circular dichroism spectra of optically active polymers of α-substituted benzyl esters were measured.
Additional Material:
7 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pol.1981.170190611