Isotactic and Syndiotactic Alternating Ethylene/Propylene Copolymers Obtained Through Non-Catalytic Hydrogenation of Highly Stereoregular cis-1,4 Poly(1,3-diene)s

Molecules. 2017 May 6;22(5):755. doi: 10.3390/molecules22050755.

Abstract

The homogeneous non-catalytic hydrogenation of cis-1,4 poly(isoprene), isotactic cis-1,4 poly(1,3-pentadiene) and syndiotactic cis-1,4 poly(1,3-pentadiene) with diimide, formed by thermal decomposition of para-toluenesulfonylhydrazide, is examined. Perfectly alternating ethylene/propylene copolymers having different tacticity (i.e., isotactic and syndiotactic), which are difficult to synthesize by stereospecific copolymerization of the corresponding monomers, are obtained. Both isotactic and syndiotactic alternating ethylene/propylene copolymers are amorphous, with very low glass transition temperatures.

Keywords: NMR; XRD; ethylene/propylene copolymers; hydrogenation.

MeSH terms

  • Alkadienes / chemistry
  • Alkenes / chemistry*
  • Butadienes / chemistry
  • Ethylenes / chemistry*
  • Hemiterpenes / chemistry
  • Hydrogenation
  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Pentanes / chemistry
  • Polymerization
  • Polymers / chemistry*
  • Powder Diffraction / methods
  • Stereoisomerism
  • Temperature

Substances

  • Alkadienes
  • Alkenes
  • Butadienes
  • Ethylenes
  • Hemiterpenes
  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Pentanes
  • Polymers
  • isoprene
  • ethylene
  • propylene
  • 1,3-pentadiene