Claims
- 1. The process for preparing a polymer by free radical initiation, the improvement which comprises polymerizing at least one monomer containing ethylenic unsaturation in the presence of a bis-azo compound having the formula:
- R--N=N--R.sub.12 --N=N--R" (I)
- wherein
- R equals R' equals (R").sub.3 C;
- (r").sub.3 c is C.sub.4 -C.sub.20 t-alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkylcycloalkyl, arylcycloalkyl or aralkyl wherein R" is C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl, C.sub.7 -C.sub.12 aralkyl or C.sub.6 -C.sub.14 aryl, not more than one R' being aromatic, and two or three of said R"s can join with the tertiary carbon atom to form a cyclo-, bicyclo- or tricyclo-hydrocarbon radical of 3-12 carbons;
- R.sub.12 is ##EQU25## R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.12 cyclo-, bicyclo- or tricycloalkyl, C.sub.7 -C.sub.12 aralkyl, or 5-6 membered heterocyclic wherein the hetero atom is O or N, R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 taken together can form a C.sub.3 -C.sub.11 alkylene diradical, one or more of each of the R.sub.1 s and R.sub.2 s can be substituted with lower alkoxy, hydroxy, carboxy, lower alkoxycarbonyl, lower alkylcarbonyloxy, halo, cyano, dimethylamido or lower alkylsulfonato radicals, and R.sub.1 can also be C.sub.6 -C.sub.14 aryl;
- Y" is --NHNH--, --S--, --O--, --SS--, ##EQU26## or --X"R.sub.13 X"--; Z is --CN, --Cl, --Br, --X"R.sub.5, --N.sub.3, --SCN, --NCS, --OCN, --OOR, --OOH, --OH, --R.sub.5, --NO.sub.2, --NO.sub.3, --C.tbd.CR.sub.10, --C(=O)NH.sub.2, --C(=O)OR.sub.6, --C(=NH)NH.sub.2, --C(=NH)OR.sub.6, --OC(=O)H, --X"C(=X")X"R.sub.5, --X"C(=X")R.sub.5, --OOC(=O)R.sub.5, ##EQU27## ##SPC24##
- or ##EQU28## R'.sub.13 is a C.sub.2 -C.sub.20 symmetrical diradical selected from alkyl, alkylaralkyl or alkylcycloalkylalkyl groups optionally containing two or more non-adjacent oxygen, sulfur or nitrogen atoms in the backbone structure, cycloalkyl or, when R.sub.1 is not phenyl or substituted phenyl, from C.sub.6 -C.sub.12 hydrocarbon aromatic;
- R.sub.13 is a symmetrical C.sub.5 -C.sub.15 alkyl-cycloalkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.10 alkylene, C.sub.3 -C.sub.12 cycloalkylene, C.sub.6 -C.sub.12 hydrocarbon aryl or C.sub.8 -C.sub.15 alkyl-aryl diradical;
- X" is oxygen or sulfur;
- R.sub.5 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl or cycloalkyl or C.sub.6 -C.sub.12 hydrocarbon aromatic;
- R.sub.6 is lower alkyl; and
- R.sub.10 is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl or cycloalkyl or C.sub.6 -C.sub.12 hydrocarbon aryl.
- 2. The process of claim 1 wherein
- R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.12 cyclo-, bicyclo- or tricycloalkyl, or C.sub.7 -C.sub.12 aralkyl, R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 taken together can form a C.sub.3 -C.sub.11 alkylene diradical, one or more of each of the R.sub.1 s and R.sub.2 s can be substituted with lower alkoxy, hydroxy, carboxy, lower alkoxycarbonyl, lower alkylcarbonyloxy, halo, cyano, dimethylamido or lower alkylsulfonato radicals, and R.sub.1 can also be C.sub.6 -C.sub.14 aryl; and
- Z is --CH, --Cl, --Br, --X"R.sub.5, --N.sub.3, --SCN, --NCS, --OCN, --OOR, --OOH, --OH, --R.sub.5, --NO.sub.2, --NO.sub.3, --C.tbd.CR.sub.10, --C(=O)NH.sub.2, --C(=O)OR.sub.6, --C(=NH)NH.sub.2, --C(=NH)OR.sub.6, --OC(=O)H, --X"C(=X")X"R.sub.5, --X"C(=X")R.sub.5, --OOC(=O)R.sub.5,
- or ##EQU29##
- 3. The process of claim 2 wherein said monomer is styrene.
- 4. A process for preparing block copolymers by sequential free radical initiation which comprises:
- A. preparing an azo-containing polymer by polymerizing at least one monomer containing ethylenic unsaturation in the presence of a bis-azo compound (I) as defined in claim 1 for a time sufficient to partially decompose said bis azo compound; and
- B. copolymerizing said azo-containing polymer with at least one other vinyl monomer for a time sufficient to complete the decomposition of the undecomposed azo portion of said azo-containing polymer.
- 5. The process of claim 4 wherein
- R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.12 cyclo-, bicyclo- or tricycloalkyl, or C.sub.7 -C.sub.12 aralkyl, R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 taken together can form a C.sub.3 -C.sub.11 alkylene diradical, one or more of each of the R.sub.1 s and R.sub.2 s can be substituted with lower alkoxy, hydroxy, carboxy, lower alkoxycarbonyl, lower alkylcarbonyloxy, halo, cyano, dimethylamido or lower alkylsulfonato radicals, and R.sub.1 can also be C.sub.6 -C.sub.14 aryl; and
- Z is --CN, --Cl, --Br, --X"R.sub.5, --N.sub.3, --SCN, --NCS, --OCN, --OOR, --OOH, --OH, --R.sub.5, --NO.sub.2, --NO.sub.3, --C.tbd.CR.sub.10, --C(=O)NH.sub.2, --C(=O)OR.sub.6, --C(=NH)NH.sub.2, --C(=NH)OR.sub.6, --OC(=O)H, --X"C(=X")X"R.sub.5, --X"C(=X")R.sub.5, --OOC(=O)R.sub.5,
- or ##EQU30##
- 6. The process of claim 5 wherein the monomer of step A is styrene.
- 7. The process of claim 6 wherein the vinyl monomer of step B is methyl methacrylate.
- 8. The process of claim 7 wherein the azo-containing polystyrene is prepared by heating at about 70.degree.C. and wherein the polystyrene-poly(methylmethacrylate) copolymer is prepared by heating at about 90.degree.C.
- 9. The process of claim 8 wherein the bis-azo compound is 1,2-ethylene bis(4-t-butylazo-4-cyanovalerate).
- 10. The process of claim 8 wherein the bis-azo compound is 1,4-butylene bis(4-t-butylazo-4-cyanovalerate).
- 11. The process of claim 8 wherein the bis-azo compound is di(4-t-butylazo-4-cyanopentyl)sebacate.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a division, of application Ser. No. 88,247, filed Nov. 9, 1970, which in turn is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 725,180 (now abandoned), filed Apr. 29, 1968, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 616,158, filed Feb. 15, 1967 (now abandoned), which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 409,306, filed Nov. 5, 1964 (now abandoned) of Chester S. Sheppard et al.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
1,086,995 |
Oct 1967 |
UK |
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
88247 |
Nov 1970 |
|
Continuations (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
616158 |
Feb 1967 |
|
Parent |
409306 |
Nov 1964 |
|
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
725180 |
Apr 1968 |
|