An experimental and computational study of two state of the art living free radical polymerisation techniques

This thesis describes the research conducted by t he author in completion of a Doctor of Philosophy in the Centre for Advanced Macromolecular Design(CAMD), Univcrsity of New South Wales (UNSW) , Sydney, Australia; under the supervision of Professor Christopher Barner-Kowollik and Doctor Michelle L. Coote (Australian National University). The research has led to the creation of new knowledge in the fields of free radical polymerisation and chemical kinetics. Research was conducted in two main thrusts: (1) investigation into the governing kinetic processes behind star polymer synthesis via what has become known as a reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT), R-group approach and (2) an entirely new mode of living free radical (LFR) polymerisation which has been named thioketone mediated polymerisation (TKMP). In the first broad area of the described research, a novel kinetic modelling scheme has been developed in which only the reactions of a single arm star are simulated explicitly. Subsequently, the molecular weight distributions (MWDs) arising from the single arm star simulation are convolved, using probabilistic calculations, to generate the MWD appropriate to a multi-arm star polymerisat ion bearing t he same kinetic parameters as the single arm one. This model is validated against experimental data, enabling, for the first time, the use of rigorous theoretical reasoning to distill a set of synthetic guidelines for star polymer synthesis via a RAFT, R-group approach. Subsequently, the product spectra resulting from RAFT, R-group approach polymerisations of para-acetoxystyrene have been analysed via mass spectrometry. This has led to direct evidence for many of the complex species whose existence had, up until this point, been inferred from gel permeation chromatography (GPC) measured MWDs. The menagerie of species identified includes, but is not limited to, star-star couples, initiator fragment terminated stars, initiator fragment terminated star-star couples and linear chains -- both living and terminated. Using a kinetic model devised specifically for application in mass spectrometry analysis, the experimentally observed abundances of each of the above species have been compared to t hose predicted by simulation. The qualitative agreement between the predicted and observed abundances has provided additional evidence that t he proposed mechanism for RAFT, R-group approach polymerisations is correct and operative. Further, it seems unlikely that significant, undiscovered kinetic phenomena exist. Due to (a) long simulation times encountered using the state of the art, commercial partial differential equation solver for polymerisation kinetics (i.e. PREDICI, Computing in Technology (CiT), GmbH; see http://www.cit-wulkow.de) and (b) the limited flexibility this software provides with respect to the types of chemical species that can be simulated, fundamental research has been conducted into the kinetic Monte Carlo method to (i) examine fundamental aspects of this simulation approach; (ii) determine the maximum speed attainable through a combination of optimisations including run-time generation of problem specific code and parallelisation; and, therefore (iii) find out what the potential of this method may be as a replacement for t he existing methods. In terms of speed, the developed code outperforms previous Monte Carlo benchmarks in the literature by a factor of 2.6 and the latest developments in the commercial tool, PREDICI that took place during the author's Ph.D. candidature give it similar performance to the herein described Monte Carlo code; however, the latter is required to run on multiple processors in order to compete with the serial algorithm implemented in PREDICI. The Monte Carlo method does, however, provide complete freedom with respect to the chemical species whose kinetics can be simulated, allowing for complex species with many chain lengths and, in principal copolymer compositions and branched structures. The Monte Carlo approach is the method of choice for these types of simulations and for the first time competes with the commercial tool in terms of speed. In the second broad area of the described research, an experimental investigation has been conducted into the applicability of thioketones, S=C (R1) (R2), as mediating agents for free radical polymerisations. The compound di-tert-butyl thioketone (DTBT), S=C-(C(CH3)3)2, has been chosen as a model reagent and this, when incorporated into a free radical polymerisation of styrene has led to a linear increase of the average molecular weight as conversion of monomer into polymer takes place - demonstrating control. A reversible radical trapping mechanism has been proposed and evidence for this has been provided in the form of an ab initio calculation of the equilibrium constant for the trapping of a styryl dimer radical by DTBT. This equilibrium constant was approximately K = 105 L mol-1 and is close to the value which is expected on the basis of the experimental results. To aid future experimental investigations intoTKMP, a quantum chemical survey has, been conducted with the aim of discovering the radical affinities of a large range of thioketones. It has been demonstrated that there is ample scope within this class of compound for potent radical trapping - far above that of DTBT. The affinities of various thioketone substrates for radicals have been understood in terms of the radical stabilising and thioketone destabilising effect of the two substituents R1 and R2 on, respectively, the adduct radical, R-S-C•(R1) (R2), and the parent thioketone. All results appearing in this thesis have been published previously in peer-reviewed scientific journals

A triple carboxylic acid-functionalized RAFT agent platform for the elaboration of well-defined telechelic 3-arm star PDMAc

This communication describes the synthesis of a triple acid-functionalized RAFT agent and its use to prepare well-defined 3-arm star polymers of N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMAc). A simple esterification reaction allowed the convenient integration of three electron-rich naphthalene recognition units on the RAFT agent platform and subsequently the elaboration of a naphthalene end-decorated telechelic 3-arm star PDMAc. This functionalized star polymer was further exploited to build a hydrogel with a complementary homoditopic host unit featuring tetracationic macrocycle cyclobis(paraquat-p-phenylene) units

Single‐ended transition state finding with the growing string method

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/110705/1/jcc23833.pd

Reliable and efficient reaction path and transition state finding for surface reactions with the growing string method

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136310/1/jcc24720_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136310/2/jcc24720.pd

The hydrolytic behavior of N,N’-(dimethylamino) ethyl acrylate-functionalized polymeric stars

YesWell-defined N,N’-(dimethylamino)ethyl acrylate (DMAEA) functionalized polymeric stars have been synthesized via an arm-first approach. Utilizing reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer polymerization, linear homopolymers (PEGA, PHEA) were chain extended with DMAEA and a divinyl crosslinker to produce a series of crosslinked polymeric stars. These stars were characterized using a range of techniques including NMR, SEC, DLS and TEM analysis. The hydrolytic behavior of the DMAEA when tethered within a micellar core was investigated by1 H NMR spectroscopy and was found to be strongly dependent on temperature. At elevated temperatures either a higher crosslinking density or a longer arm length was found to offer greater protection to the amine resulting in slower hydrolysis, with hydrolysis found to level off at a lower final percentage hydrolysis. In contrast, the composition and nature of the arm was found to have little impact on the hydrolysis, with the same trends relating to the effect of temperature and crosslinking density observed with a linear (HEA) and a brush (PEGA) arm. Additionally, the release of DMAE from the polymeric stars was successfully confirmed through the use of an enzymatic assay, producing a concentration of DMAE in good agreement with the theoretical concentration based on the 1H NMR spectroscopic analysis.Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE), EPSR

Living star polymer formation (RAFT) studied via electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

A mass spectrometry analysis has been performed on complex architecture polymeric material produced during reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerizations yielding star polymers. Para-acetoxystyrene (AcOSty) has been polymerized at 60 °C, using azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as the thermally decomposing initiator, in the presence of the R-group approach tetrafunctional RAFT agent (1,2,4,5-tetrakis-(2-phenyl-thioacetyl- sulfanylmethyl)-benzene). In addition to ideal star material, a variety of products unique to this mode of polymerization have been identified. These include star-star couples, stars terminated with initiator fragments, star-star couples terminated with initiator fragments and linear polymers, supporting the notion that these species are responsible for the structured molecular-weight distributions measured for these systems when analyzed via gel permeation chromatography. The analysis begins with a study of AcOSty polymerizing (i) in the absence of any mediating agent and (ii) in the presence of a monofunctional RAFT agent, revealing the mode of termination of propagating poly(AcOSty) radicals as combination and that some ionization biases exist among variants of poly (AcOSty). The interpretation of the mass spectrometry data has been aided by a novel kinetic model of star polymerizations, allowing the rationalization of experimental observations with theoretical expectations. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Living star polymer formation: Detailed assessment of poly(acrylate) radical reaction pathways via ESI-MS

The generation of star polymers via living polymerization protocols is well documented; however, the impact of midchain radicals (MCRs) on the precise formation pathways under operation in living acrylate star polymerizations is still poorly understood. In the present study, electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) technology has been applied to map the products generated in R-group approach reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) methyl acrylate (MA) star polymerizations in order to gain insight into the precise formation pathways under operation in such systems. The polymerizations were conducted at 65°C using the tetrafunctional RAFT agent 1,2,4,5-tetrakis(2-phenylthioacetylsulfanylmethyl)benzene and 2,2′-azobis(isobutyronitrile) (AIBN) as the thermally decomposing initiator. Initiator fragment derived linear chains, ideal stars, star-star couples, and other terminated star products formed as a result of combination and disproportionation reactions were successfully imaged. Additionally, MCR derived products that lie outside of the conventional R-group approach RAFT star polymerization mechanistic scheme were identified. Products associated with termination reactions involving intermolecularly formed MCRs on star arms and linear chains were observed; specifically, structures formed from MCR termination with propagating stars or radical carrying star cores, or with initiator fragments or propagating initiator derived linear chains. Additionally, structures produced via repropagation of intermolecularly formed MCRs on star arms were also identified. The products generated from MCR-derived reaction pathways were imaged from a degree of polymerization (DPn) as low as one, indicating that MCRs can form upon molecules carrying only a single monomer unit. © 2008 American Chemical Society