We have been engaged in a search for coordination catalysts for the copolymerization of polar monomers (such as vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate) with ethylene. We have been investigating complexes of late transition metals with heterocyclic ligands. In this report we describe the synthesis of a symmetrical bis-thiadiazole. We have characterized one of the intermediates using single crystal X-r...

The synthesis of vinyl bromobutanoate (VBr), a new vinyl acetate monomer derivative obtained by the palladium-catalyzed vinyl exchange reaction between vinyl acetate (VAc) and 4-bromobutyric acid is reported. The homopolymerization of this new monomer using the RAFT/MADIX polymerization technique leads to the formation of novel well-defined and controlled polymers containing pendent bromine fun...

We developed a simple and efficient strategy to access N-vinyl secondary amines of various naturally occurring materials using readily available solid acetylene reagents (calcium carbide, KF, and KOH). Pyrrole, pyrazole, indoles, carbazoles, and diarylamines were successfully vinylated in good yields. Cross-linked and linear polymers were synthesized from N-vinyl carbazoles through free radical...

Photo-induced cationic polymerizations of styrene and x-methylstyrene, which are weak electron donors and contain no hetero atom, were carried out in the presence of electron acceptors such as tetracyanobenzene and pyromellitic dianhydride to elucidate the polymerization mechanism initiated through an excited charge transfer interaction. Cyclohexene oxide was also polymerized by photo-illuminat...

Novel LaOCl/LaCl3 catalysts have been discovered that enable the production of vinyl chloride monomer from ethane. An ethane-based process would result in both capital savings and raw materials savings when compared to the current most effective vinyl technology. These materials are unique in the world of chlorination/oxychlorination as the mechanism for chlorination over LaOCl/LaCl3 occurs on ...

Fe(3)O(4) synthesized by magnetotactic bacteria and α-Fe(2)O(3) synthesized via a microbial-mineralization-inspired process functioned as catalysts for the controlled cationic polymerization of a vinyl ether.

Acrylamide and N,N-methylenebis(acry1amide) (AAm-Bis) copolymerization has been investigated in water at a monomer concentration of 1.8 w/v %. Conversion of monomer and pendant vinyl groups was measured as a function of the reaction time up to the onset of macrogelation. Experimental results indicate that 80% of pendant vinyl groups are consumed by cyclization reactions. When the monomer concen...