Polymer science with transition metals and main group elements: Towards functional, supramolecular inorganic polymeric materials

Transition-Metal-Free Dehydropolymerization of Phosphine-Boranes at Ambient Temperature

Stoichiometric reaction of phosphine-borane adducts RR'PH⋅BH₃ (R=Ph, R'=H, Ph, Et, and R=R'=^t Bu) with the strong acid HNTf₂ (Tf=SO₂ CF₃ ) leads to H₂ elimination and the formation of the triflimido derivatives, RR'PH⋅BH₂ (NTf₂ ). Subsequent deprotonation by using bases, such as diisopropylethylamine or the carbene IPr (IPr=N,N'-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene), led to the formation of P-mono- or -disubstituted polyphosphinoboranes [RR'P-BH₂ ]_n . Evidence for the intermediacy of transient phosphinoborane monomers, RR'PBH₂ , was provided by trapping reactions.

Calix[4]pyrrolato Aluminate Catalyzes the Dehydrocoupling of Phenylphosphine Borane to High Molar Weight Polymers

High molar weight polyphosphinoboranes represent materials with auspicious properties, but their preparation requires transition metal‐based catalysts. Here, calix[4]pyrrolato aluminate is shown to induce the dehydropolymerization of phosphine boranes to high molar mass polyphosphinoboranes (up to M_n=43 000 Da). Combined GPC and ³¹P DOSY NMR spectroscopic analyses, quantum chemical computations, and stoichiometric reactions disclose a P−H bond activation by the cooperative action of the square‐planar aluminate and the electron‐rich ligand framework. This first transition metal‐free catalyst for P−B dehydrocoupling overcomes the problem of residual d‐block metal impurities in the resulting polymers that might interfere with the reproducibility of the properties for this emerging class of inorganic materials.

Cross-linked porous polyurethane materials featuring dodecaborate clusters as inorganic polyol equivalents

We report the discovery that a perhydroxylated dodecaborate cluster ([B12(OH)12]2-) can act as an inorganic polyol, serving as a molecular cross-linker in the synthesis of polyurethane-based materials. We further demonstrate how the inherent robustness of the utilized boron cluster can effectively enhance the thermal stability of the produced polyurethane materials incorporating [B12(OH)12]2- building blocks compared to analogous polymers made from carbon-based polyols. Ultimately, this approach provides a potential route to tune the chemical and physical properties of soft materials through incorporation of polyhedral boron-rich clusters into the polymer network.

Solid-state 13 C, 15 N and 29 Si NMR characterization of block copolymers with CO2 capture properties

Natural abundance solid-state multinuclear (¹³ C, ¹⁵ N and ²⁹ Si) cross-polarization magic-angle-spinning NMR was used to study structures of three block copolymers based on polyamide and dimethylsiloxane and two polyamides, one of which including ferrocene in its structure. Assignment of most of the resonance lines in ¹³ C, ¹⁵ N and ²⁹ Si cross-polarization magic-angle-spinning NMR spectra were suggested. A comparative analysis of ¹³ C isotropic chemical shifts of polyamides with and without ferrocene has revealed a systematic shift towards higher δ -values (de-shielding) explained as the incorporation of paramagnetic ferrocene into the polyamide backbone. In addition, the ¹³ C NMR resonance lines for ferrocene-based polyamide were significantly broadened, because of paramagnetic effects from ferrocene incorporated in the structure of this polyamide polymer. Single resonance lines with chemical shifts ranging from 88.1 to 91.5 ppm were observed for ¹⁵ N sites in all of studied polyamide samples. ²⁹ Si chemical shifts were found to be around -22.4 ppm in polydimethylsiloxane samples that falls in the range of chemical shifts for alkylsiloxane compounds. The CO₂ capture performance of polyamide-dimethylsiloxane-based block copolymers was measured as a function of temperature and pressure. The data revealed that these polymeric materials have potential to uptake CO₂ (up to 9.6 cm³  g^-1 ) at ambient pressures and in the temperature interval 30-40 °C. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Polyferrocenylsilanes: synthesis, properties, and applications

This comprehensive review covers polyferrocenylsilanes (PFSs), a well-established, readily accessible class of main chain organosilicon metallopolymer. The focus is on the recent advances involving PFS homopolymers and block copolymers and the article covers the synthesis, properties, and applications of these fascinating materials.

Luminescent materials containing multiple benzoxaphosphole units

A series of bisbenzoxaphospholes and a trisbenzoxaphosphole have been prepared and characterized.

[Tris(alkoxydimethylsilyl)methyl]alkylferrocenes as New Ferrocenyl Multifunctional Silyl Ethers

[Tris(trimethylsilyl)methyl]alkylferrocenes and [tris(dimethylsilyl)methyl]alkylferrocenes were synthesized by treatment of tris(trimethylsilyl)methyllithium and tris(dimethylsilyl)methyllithium in THF with 3-bromopropylferrocene or 4-bromobutylferrocene at 0°C. [Tris(alkoxydimethylsilyl)methyl]alkylferrocenes were obtained by dehydrocoupling with various aliphatic and benzylic alcohols in the presence of the Karstedt catalyst (platinum(0)-1,3-divinyl-1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxane in xylene) in good to excellent yields. 4-[Tris(benzyloxydimethylsilyl)methyl]butylferrocene was also prepared from the transetherification of 4-[tris(methoxydimethylsilyl)methyl]butylferrocene with benzyl alcohol in the presence of 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene as catalyst.

Single-chain self-folding of synthetic polymers induced by metal-ligand complexation

The controlled folding of a single polymer chain is for the first time realized by metal- complexation. α,ω-Bromine functional linear polymers are prepared via activators regenerated by electron transfer (ARGET) ATRP (M¯n,SEC = 5900 g mol(-1) , Đ = 1.07 and 12 000 g mol(-1) , Đ = 1.06) and the end groups of the polymers are subsequently converted to azide functionalities. A copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction is carried out in the presence of a novel triphenylphosphine ligand and the polymers to afford homotelechelic bis-triphenylphosphine polymeric-macroligands (MLs) (M¯n,SEC = 6600 g mol(-1) , Đ = 1.07, and 12 800 g mol(-1) , Đ = 1.06). Single-chain metal complexes (SCMCs) are formed in the presence of Pd(II) ions in highly diluted solution at ambient temperature. The results derived via (1) H and (31) P{(1) H} NMR experiments, SEC, and DLS unambiguously evidence the efficient formation of SCMCs via metal ligand complexation.

Cylindrical Nanostructure of Rigid-Rod POSS-Containing Polymethacrylate from a Star-Branched Block Copolymer

A nanostructure consisting of rectangular polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) nanodomains packed into a hexagonal lattice was observed in POSS-containing A₂B star-branched polymers. The A₂B star-branched polymers, which comprised polystyrene (A) and bulky POSS-containing poly(methacrylate) (PMAPOSS) (B) units, were synthesized by anionic polymerization and addition reaction. The self-assembled structures of the A₂B star-branched polymers were studied via transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS and WAXS, respectively). It was found that a rectangular nanostructure was packed into a hexagonal arrangement of nanodomains for a PMAPOSS volume fraction of 40 vol. % in the star-branched polymer. In addition, the cylinder-like nanostructure of bulky POSS observed, which is not observed in the case of PS-b-PMAPOSS diblock copolymers, was formed owing to the curvature effect, which is the result of the branched architecture of the copolymer.

Iron Oxide Arrays Prepared from Ferrocene- and Silsesquioxane-Containing Block Copolymers

Arrays of iron oxides as precursors of iron clusters were prepared by oxygen plasma treatment of block copolymer microphase-separated nanostructures in thin films. Block copolymers composed of ferrocene-containing and silsesquioxane-containing polymethacrylate (PMAPOSS-b-PMAHFC) were successfully prepared, with different molecular weights and compositions and narrow molecular weight distributions, by living anionic polymerization. The formed microphase-separated nanostructures in the bulk were characterized by wide- and small-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS and SAXS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Thin films were prepared from a solution of PMAPOSS-b-PMAHFC in tetrahydrofuran by spin coating onto silicon wafers. Fingerprint-type line nanostructures were formed in the PMAPOSS-b-PMAHFCs thin films after solvent annealing with carbon disulfide. Oxygen plasma treatment provided the final line arrays of iron oxides based on the formed nanostructural patterns.

Probing the mechanism of the PCl5-initiated living cationic polymerization of the phosphoranimine Cl3P=NSiMe3 using model compound chemistry

New insight into the mechanism of the ambient temperature PCl5-initiated living cationic chain growth polycondensation of the N-silylphosphoranimine Cl3P=NSiMe3 (1) to give poly(dichlorophosphazene), [N=PCl2]n, has been provided by studies of model compound chemistry. Investigations of the reactivity of Cl- salts of the proposed cationic intermediates [Cl3P=N=PCl3]+ ([2]+) and [Cl3P=N-PCl2=N=PCl3]+ ([6]+) toward Ph3P=NSiMe3 (3a) provided evidence that under the usual polymerization conditions that involve a high monomer to initiator ratio, propagation occurs at both chain ends. However, analogous studies of near stoichiometric processes suggested that propagation is faster at one chain end, particularly when the chains are short. In addition, experiments involving [Ph3P=N=PPh3][PCl6] ([9][PCl6]) and the N-silylphosphoranimines R3P=NSiMe3 3a (R = Ph) and 3b (R = p-CF3C6H4), showed that the [PCl6]- anion, which is formed in the early stages of the polymerization and has hitherto been assumed to be an innocent spectator counteranion, is actually reactive under the reaction conditions and can initiate oligomerization and polymerization. Finally, the absence of reactions between phosphoranimines 3b or 1 with the Cl- salts of the cations [Ph3P=N-PCl2=N=PPh3]+ ([10a]+), [Ph3P=N-(PCl2=N)2=PPh3]+ ([5]+), and [Ph3P=N-(PCl2=N)3=PPh3]+ ([8]+) with P-Cl bonds located internally but not at the chain ends have shown that chain branching reactions are unlikely to be significant during the polymerization. These results identify key factors that complicate the living PCl5-initiated chain growth polycondensation of 1 and potentially lead to a loss of control over molecular weight and broaden the molecular weight distributions, but also indicate that the polymer formed is essentially linear rather than branched.

Cloning polymer single crystals through self-seeding

In general, when a crystal is molten, all molecules forget about their mutual correlations and long-range order is lost. Thus, a regrown crystal does not inherit any features from an initially present crystal. Such is true for materials exhibiting a well-defined melting point. However, polymer crystallites have a wide range of melting temperatures, enabling paradoxical phenomena such as the coexistence of melting and crystallization. Here, we report a self-seeding technique that enables the generation of arrays of orientation-correlated polymer crystals of uniform size and shape ('clones') with their orientation inherited from an initial single crystal. Moreover, the number density and locations of these cloned crystals can to some extent be predetermined through the thermal history of the starting crystal. We attribute this unique behaviour of polymers to the coexistence of variable fold lengths in metastable crystalline lamellae, typical for ordering of complex chain-like molecules.

Polymeric materials based on main group elements: the recent development of ambient temperature and controlled routes to polyphosphazenes

This Perspective discusses the development of new routes to polyphosphazenes, [R(2)P[double bond, length as m-dash]N](n), that occur at ambient temperature and, in some cases, allow molecular weight control and access to narrow molecular weight distributions and block copolymers. For example, the room temperature silyl-carborane initiated ring-opening polymerisation of (NPCl(2))(3) is described together with chain growth condensation polymerisations of phosphoranimines Cl(3)P[double bond, length as m-dash]NSiMe(3) and BrMePhP[double bond, length as m-dash]NSiMe(3). Recent works on donor-stabilised cationic phosphoranimines are also discussed.