Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08F—MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS
  • C08F20/00—Homopolymers and copolymers of compounds having one or more unsaturated aliphatic radicals, each having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond, and only one being terminated by only one carboxyl radical or a salt, anhydride, ester, amide, imide or nitrile thereof
  • C08F20/02—Monocarboxylic acids having less than ten carbon atoms, Derivatives thereof
  • C08F20/10—Esters
  • C08F20/26—Esters containing oxygen in addition to the carboxy oxygen
  • C08F20/30—Esters containing oxygen in addition to the carboxy oxygen containing aromatic rings in the alcohol moiety
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07C—ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
  • C07C69/00—Esters of carboxylic acids; Esters of carbonic or haloformic acids
  • C07C69/62—Halogen-containing esters
  • C07C69/65—Halogen-containing esters of unsaturated acids
  • C07C69/653—Acrylic acid esters; Methacrylic acid esters; Haloacrylic acid esters; Halomethacrylic acid esters

Definitions

• the invention relates to (alkyl,bromo)phenoxy alkyl (meth)acrylate monomers and polymers made therefrom.
• Reactive chemical monomers can be used to prepare polymeric materials which have various properties and which are useful for various applications.
• monomers having optical properties can generally be used, alone or in combination with other reactive materials, to produce useful products having a high index of refraction, and that are useful to control the flow and intensity of light.
• brominated aromatic (meth)acrylate monomers have been found to be useful as high index of refraction monomers. These monomers can exhibit desirable optical qualities, but generally tend to display relatively high melting points, and therefore exist as solids at temperatures near room temperature (e.g., in the range from about 20 to 30C). Often such known brominated monomers have melting points significantly above room temperature. In addition, polymerization of these monomers (by themselves or with other comonomers) can frequently lead to a polymer with a relatively high glass transition temperature (Tg) which can limit the range of application of such monomers.
• Tg glass transition temperature
• the invention provides (alkyl,bromo)phenoxy alkyl (meth)acrylate monomers.
• the term (alkyl,bromo)phenoxy alkyl (meth)acrylate is used herein to refer to chemical compounds comprising a (meth)acrylate, a phenoxy ring substituted with at least bromine and an alkyl group, and a divalent alkylene group connecting the (meth)acrylate to the phenoxy ring.
• Preferred monomers exhibit a relatively high index of refraction; i.e., at least 1.50.
• Preferred monomers also have a relatively low melting temperature; i.e., below about 60 degrees celsius (60C), more preferably below about 35C or 30C, and most preferably exist as a liquid at or near normal room temperature (e.g., 25C).
• preferred monomers have a relatively low room temperature viscosity, and can be polymerized, either alone or in combination with one or more other comonomers, to prepare polymers with a relatively low glass transition temperature (Tg), e.g., ⁇ 50C.
• Tg glass transition temperature
• An aspect of the invention relates to (alkyl,bromo)phenoxy alkyl (meth)acrylate monomers such as those having the general formula:
• m is from 1 to 4; R2 is hydrogen or methyl, RI is a straight or branched alkyl having at least two carbon atoms, and L is a straight or branched alkylene.
• Another aspect of the invention relates to a polymerizable composition containing an (alkyl,bromo)phenoxy alkyl (meth)acrylate monomer such as that defined directly above.
• the polymerizable composition can further contain one or more other comonomer.
• Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a polymer or polymeric material comprising a chemical segment having the formula: wherein m is from 1 to 4, R2 is -H or methyl, RI is a straight or branched alkyl having at least two carbons, and L is a straight or branched alkylene.
• a polymer can be prepared by polymerization of the (alkyl,bromo)phenoxy alkyl (meth)acrylate monomer.
• monomer refers to a monomer on an individual (i.e., molecular) scale, and also to a composition of such monomers on a macroscopic scale such that the composition can be described as having a physical state of matter (e.g., liquid, solid, etc.) and physical properties (e.g., melting point, viscosity, glass transition temperature (of a polymeric form), and index of refraction).
• a physical state of matter e.g., liquid, solid, etc.
• physical properties e.g., melting point, viscosity, glass transition temperature (of a polymeric form), and index of refraction).
• Index of refraction refers to the absolute refractive index of a material (e.g., a monomer), which is understood to be the ratio of the speed of electromagnetic radiation in free space to the speed of the radiation in that material, with the radiation being of sodium yellow light at a wavelength of about 583.9 nanometer (nm). Index of refraction can be measured by known methods, and is generally measured using an Abbe Refractometer.
• Glass transition temperature (Tg) is the temperature range over which a thermoplastic polymer changes from a brittle, glass state to a plastic state. Tg can be measured by methods known in the analytical chemistry art, such as the method described in the Examples section below.
• (Meth)acrylate refers to both acrylate and methacrylate compounds. Detailed Description
• Monomers of the invention include (alkyl,bromo)phenoxy alkyl (meth)acrylate monomers, wherein the alkyl group includes at least two carbon atoms (also referred to herein as "the monomer” or “the brominated monomer,” in both singular and plural forms).
• the (alkyl,bromo)phenoxy alkyl (meth)acrylate monomer can comprise a (meth)acrylate, a phenoxy ring substituted with substituents comprising bromine and an alkyl group, and a divalent alkylene group connecting the two.
• the alkyl group can be straight or branched, and can preferably have from 2 to about 12 carbon atoms, more preferably from about 3 to about 12 carbon atoms.
• the size, position, and structure of the alkyl group are believed to affect properties of the monomer and polymers prepared therefrom, including the refractive index and viscosity of the monomer, and the refractive index and Tg of a polymer made from the monomer.
• relatively larger or more branched alkyl groups can provide monomers capable of being polymerized to polymers having relatively lower glass transition temperatures, compared to otherwise similar monomers having fewer carbon atoms or less branching.
• a relatively larger alkyl group can result in a monomer or polymer having a relatively lower index of refraction as compared to a similar monomer having a relatively smaller alkyl group.
• the alkylene group can generally be any divalent organic hydrocarbon group.
• the alkylene group can be straight or branched, and preferred alkylene groups can contain from about 1 to about 12 carbon atoms, more preferably from about 2 to about 6 carbons.
• the size and chemical structure of the alkylene group can affect the physical properties of the monomer and a polymer prepared therefrom, including the refractive index and viscosity of the monomer and the refractive index and Tg of a polymer prepared from the monomer.
• a relatively larger alkylene group can result in a monomer or polymer having a relatively lower index of refraction as compared to an otherwise similar monomer having a relatively smaller alkylene group.
• Relatively larger or more branched alkylene groups can provide a monomer which when polymerized has a relatively lower Tg compared to a polymer prepared from otherwise similar monomers having relatively smaller or less branched alkylene groups.
• Bromine substitution can affect the index of refraction of the monomer. It is generally understood that bromine increases the index of refraction of the monomer. Bromine can be substituted on the aromatic portion of the monomer in any available amount or position, and will preferably be present in an amount to provide a monomer having a relatively high index of refraction, preferably at least about 1.50.
• the position of the bromine can be a function of the materials and process used to prepare the brominated monomer (e.g., as described infra).
• the position of an alkyl group on the aromatic ring can affect at least in part the position of bromines attached directly to the aromatic ring. If an alkyl group is attached at the 4 position relative to the ester substituent (para-), two bromines can preferably be located at the 2 and 6 position, and, if the alkyl group is at the 2 position (ortho-), bromines are preferably at the 4 and 6 positions.
• Examples of useful (alkyl,bromo)phenoxy alkyl (meth)acrylate monomers include those having the structure of formula 1:
• R2 can be hydrogen (-H) or methyl (-CH ); m can be from about 1 to 4, and is preferably about 2; L can be a straight chain or branched alkylene group, preferably containing from 1 to about 12 carbon atoms, more preferably from about 2 to about 6 carbon atoms; and
• RI can be a straight or branched alkyl having at least 2 carbon atoms, preferably having at least 3 and up to about 12 carbon atoms. RI can be positioned ortho, meta, or para to the phenoxy oxygen.
• the monomer preferably exhibits desired properties of index of refraction, melting point, and viscosity.
• the monomer preferably exhibits an index of refraction of at least about 1.50.
• the melting point of the monomer can be below about 60C, preferably below about 35C or 30C, and most preferably the monomer exists as a liquid at or near normal room temperature.
• the monomer can have a room temperature viscosity that allows the monomer or a polymerizable composition thereof to be processed, e.g., pumped, circulated, extruded, coated, formed, cured, or otherwise handled, at or near room temperature.
• a room temperature viscosity that allows the monomer or a polymerizable composition thereof to be processed, e.g., pumped, circulated, extruded, coated, formed, cured, or otherwise handled, at or near room temperature.
• preferred viscosities of the monomer can be in the range from about 20 to 5000 centipoise (cps), more preferably from about 50 to 1000 cps, as measured at 23C.
• preferred monomers can be polymerized or copolymerized to provide polymeric materials having relatively low Tg, e.g., below about 50C.
• Particularly preferred monomers have both a relatively high index of refraction (e.g., greater than about 1.50), and can produce a polymer
• Examples of useful monomers of the invention include monomers wherein RI is located ortho to the phenoxy oxygen, as illustrated by formula 2:
• R2 m, L, and RI are as defined supra.
• bromine atoms are located at the 4 and 6 positions on the phenoxy ring, ortho and para to the phenoxy oxygen atom, as illustrated by formula 3 :
• Particularly preferred monomers of formula 3 include 4,6-dibromo-2-alkyl phenoxy alkylene (meth)acrylates wherein the RI alkyl has from 3 to 4 carbons, including monomers of the types shown in formulas 4 and 5, wherein R2 and L, are as defined:
• (Alkyl,bromo)phenoxy alkyl (meth)acrylate monomers of the invention can be prepared by methods generally useful in preparing substituted (e.g., brominated) phenoxy compounds and (meth)acrylate monomers. Such methods are well known in the organic chemistry art.
• an alkyl-substituted phenol (alkylphenol) can be brominated to produce a brominated alkylphenol, as desired to prepare the desired brominated monomer.
• Alkylphenols are commercially available from Schenectady International Inc., Chemical Division, Schenectady, NY. Alkylphenols can be brominated by methods that are known in the organic chemistry art, and as described, for example, in the Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, Nolume 4, 543 (4 th ed. 1992). The brominated alkylphenol can be alkylated by known methods to produce an (alkyl,bromo)phenoxy alkanol compound.
• Alkylation methods are known in the chemical art, and are generally accomplished by introducing an alkylating agent, for example any one of an alkylene carbonate (e.g., ethylene carbonate), a chloroalkanol (e.g., chloroethanol) or an alkylene oxide
• an alkylating agent for example any one of an alkylene carbonate (e.g., ethylene carbonate), a chloroalkanol (e.g., chloroethanol) or an alkylene oxide
• a preferred step in the preparation of the brominated monomer can be a purification step. Purification can be accomplished by any method known in the organic chemistry art, including methods of chromatography and distillation. For some brominated monomers, for example those that might suffer from thermal breakdown at elevated temperatures, it can be preferred to purify the monomers using ultra-high vacuum continuous distillation methods. These processes can be accomplished at pressures in the range from about 1 to 1000 micron mercury (Hg), and temperatures in the range from about 100 to 200C.
• Hg micron mercury
• the brominated monomer of the invention can be included in a polymerizable composition that can be polymerized or co-polymerized to produce useful polymers or copolymers.
• polymerizable refers to chemical compounds such as monomers and oligomers, etc., and chemical compositions, capable of polymerizing or copolymerizing (e.g., via unsaturated moieties) to produce a higher molecular weight material such as an oligomer, polymer, prepolymer, or polymeric material.
• polymer and “polymeric material” are used interchangeably to refer to materials prepared from the reaction of one or more polymerizable materials, e.g., one or more polymerizable monomer, oligomer, polymer, or prepolymer, etc. to produce a dimer, trimer, oligomer, copolymer, homopolymers, etc.
• Useful comonomers to be reacted with acrylic monomers such as the brominated monomer described herein are known in the organic chemistry art, and can include any of a number of known and useful polymerizable moieties, e.g., vinyl, (meth)acrylate, N-vinyl, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, allyl, acrylamide, acrylonitrile, etc.
• the comonomer can be mono- or multifunctional with respect to the unsaturated moiety, and where multifunctional, the unsaturated moieties need not be of identical chemistry.
• comonomer useful in the polymerizable composition can include the class of (meth)acrylate-functional comonomers such as butyl (meth)acrylate, as well as vinyl comonomers such as methyl styrene.
• the particular comonomers included in any given polymerizable composition, their molecular weight or weights, and the included amounts of each, can be chosen according to various factors such as the desired nature and properties of the polymerizable composition and the desired properties of the polymer or polymeric material to be prepared therefrom (e.g., index of refraction, glass transition temperature, melting point, viscosity, etc., of the polymerizable composition or polymeric material).
• the polymerizable composition can also contain other ingredients that, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art of polymeric materials, can be useful in such a polymerizable composition.
• the polymerizable composition might contain a crosslinking agent, one or more surfactants, pigments, fillers, polymerization inhibitors, or other ingredients that can be useful within a polymerizable composition or an optical product.
• Such ingredients can be included in the composition in amounts known to be effective for their respective purposes.
• a crosslinking agent can be useful to increase the glass transition temperature of the polymer resulting from crosslinking the polymerizable composition.
• Glass transition temperature of a composition can be measured by methods known in the art, such as Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), modulated DSC (MDSC), or Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA).
• Polymeric beads, inorganic fillers, and/or pigments can be added to the polymerizable composition in order to improve processing, to impart slip and scratch resistance to the polymerized material, or to affect optical properties of the polymerized material.
• useful polymeric beads include those made of polystyrene, polyacrylates, copolymers of styrene and acrylates, polyethylene, polypropylene, polytetrafluoroethylene, or combinations thereof.
• examples of inorganic fillers and pigments include solid or hollow glass beads, silica, zirconia, aluminum trihydroxide, and titanium dioxide.
• the polymerizable composition can preferably have a room temperature viscosity that allows the polymerizable composition to be processed, e.g., pumped, circulated, extruded, coated, formed, cured, or otherwise handled, at or near room temperature.
• a room temperature viscosity that allows the polymerizable composition to be processed, e.g., pumped, circulated, extruded, coated, formed, cured, or otherwise handled, at or near room temperature.
• preferred viscosities of the polymerizable composition can be in the range from about 20 to 5000 centipoise (cps), more preferably in the range from about 50 to 1000 cps, as measured at 23C.
• Polymerization of the composition can be accomplished by known and usual means, such as heating in the presence of a free-radical initiator, irradiation with electromagnetic radiation such as ultraviolet or visible light in the presence of suitable photoinitiators, and by electron beam.
• a preferred method of polymerization might be by irradiation with ultraviolet or visible light in the presence of photoinitiator.
• Polymeric materials i.e., homopolymers or copolymers prepared from the brominated monomer can exhibit a relatively low Tg, e.g., below about 50C.
• Reaction completion was determined by gas chromatography, by monitoring the disappearance of the starting material, 2-sec-butylphenol, and of monobrominated species.
• 3960 g of ethyl acetate was added.
• the mixture was stirred for 15 minutes and then allowed to phase split.
• the bottom (aqueous) layer was removed and 2686 g of a 13 wt% aqueous sodium hydrosulfite solution was added.
• the mixture was stirred well and then allowed to phase split.
• the bottom (aqueous) layer was removed and 2760 g of a 15 wt% aqueous sodium carbonate solution was added.
• the mixture was stirred well and then allowed to phase split.
• the bottom (aqueous) layer was removed and solvent was stripped from the top layer using a rotary evaporator. This procedure provided approximately 2647 g of DBsBP.
• a 500 ml round bottom flask was equipped with a magnetic stirrer, condenser and temperature probe. 40 g of the 4,6-dibromo-2-sec-butylphenoxy, 12.5 g ethylene carbonate and 13.1 g triethylamine were added to the flask. The mixture was heated to reflux (-120C) and held at that temperature for about 24 hours. At this point, gas chromatograph analysis showed only 0.9% residual starting material, so the reaction was cooled to room temperature. 170 g t-butyl methyl ether was added, then 20. lg of 37% HC1 in 150 g of DI water was added. The mixture was shaken well and allowed to phase split and the lower aqueous phase removed.
• a 500 ml round bottom flask was equipped with a mechanical stirrer, Dean- Stark trap, condenser, and temperature probe. 25 g of 2-(4,6-dibromo-2-sec- butylphenoxy)ehtanol, 125 g of toluene, 0.58 g of p-toluene sulfonic acid, 5.5 g of acrylic acid and -200 ppm each of methyl hydroquinone and hydroquinone were mixed together in the flask. The mixture was heated to reflux to azeotrope out the water generated during esterification. After 5 hours, gas chromatography analysis showed the reaction to be substantially complete (>98%).
• the reaction mixture was cooled washed three times: first with a solution of HCI in water, then with a solution of NaCO 3 in water and finally with a solution of NaCl in water and the toluene was then stripped in vaccuo.
• the product was purified using continuous distillation on a rolled film evaporator (available from UIC Inc. of Joliet, IL) at the following conditions: 1 micron Hg vacuum and 130C to obtain the product with >98% purity by NMR.
• a 12 liter, four neck, round bottom flask was set up with a mechanical stirrer, condenser, temperature probe and addition funnel in a cooling bath. 800 grams of 4,6-dibromo-2-isopropyl phenol (DBiPP) was added to the flask along with 4902 grams of deionized water and 408 grams of sodium iodide. Using the addition funnel, 435 grams of a 50% sodium hydroxide solution was added while maintaining the temperature below 25C. The cooling bath was then removed and the reaction mixture was heated to reflux (100C). Using a clean addition funnel, 744 grams of 6-chlorohexanol was added over 1 hour and 30 minutes. The reaction was mixed two more hours at which point gas chromatography (GC) analysis indicated 0.3 % of the starting DBiPP remained unreacted. The solution was cooled and left at room temperature (22-25C) overnight.
• GC gas chromatography
• the final washing was done with a 4.7% (w/w) aqueous solution of sodium chloride (982 grams).
• the aqueous phase was again removed by vacuum.
• the organic phase filtered and concentrated on a rotary evaporator using a water aspirator. Residual solvent was removed using a vacuum pump while stirring the concentrate with a magnetic stirrer. 1250 grams of a yellow liquid was obtained.
• the yellow liquid was purified by continuous distillation using a rolled film evaporator. First 6- chlorohexanol and 6-iodohexanol were removed at the following conditions: 130C oil bath and 5-20 microns Hg vacuum.
• the aqueous phase was removed after phase separation.
• a third wash was done using 867 grams of a 5.1% (w/w) aqueous sodium chloride solution.
• the aqueous phase was again removed by vacuum.
• the organic phase was filtered and concentrated on a rotary evaporator using a water aspirator. Residual solvent was removed using a vacuum pump while stirring the concentrate with a magnetic stirrer. 650 grams of a hazy, light yellow liquid was obtained.
• the yellow liquid was then purified by continuous distillation in a rolled film evaporator using the following conditions: 175C oil bath and 1 micron Hg vacuum to give the water white product.
• NMR analysis indicated a 98.8% purity prior to distillation and a purity of >99% in the distilled product, 6-(4,6-dibromo-2-iso-propyl phenoxy) hexyl acrylate.
• Example 3 Preparation of a mixture of 2-(4,6-dibromo-2-sec-butyl phenoxy) 2- methyl ethyl acrylate and 2-(4,6-dibromo-2-sec-butyl phenoxy) 1-methyl ethyl acrylate.
• a 500 ml round bottom flask was equipped with a magnetic stirrer, condenser and a temperature probe.
• the flask was charged with 60 grams of 4,6-dibromo-2- sec-butyl phenol (DBsBP), 21.9 grams of propylene carbonate, and 19.7 grams of triethylamine.
• DBsBP 4,6-dibromo-2- sec-butyl phenol
• the mixture was heated to reflux (120C) and held at that temperature for about 24 hours.
• the mixture was cooled to room temperature and the flask was charged with 170 grams of t-butyl methyl ether. 170 grams of a 4.3% aqueous solution of HC1 was added to the reaction flask and mixed. The mixture was allowed to phase separate and the aqueous phase was removed.
• Homopolymerization Homopolymers of several of the above noted monomers were prepared by combining 2 grams of monomer with 10 grams of ethyl acetate solvent and 0.006 grams of Vazo 64 or Vazo 88 initiatior (available from Dupont) in a 4 ounce (118.3 ml) glass bottle. The bottle was purged for one minute with nitrogen at a flow rate of one liter per minute. The bottle was sealed and then placed in a rotating water bath at 55C (65C if Nazo 88 initiator was used) for 24 hours to effect essentially complete polymerization. The homopolymer was recovered for Tg analysis by evaporating the solvent at 105C.
• Tg - Glass transition temperatures were determined using a differential scanning calorimeter (DCS-7) manufactured by Perkin Elmer, orwalk, CT. A 10 mg polymer sample was heated at a rate of 20C/minute, cooled at a rate of 40C/minute and then reheated at 20C/minute. The Tg was calculated on the second heating cycle.
• DCS-7 differential scanning calorimeter
• Viscosity - Steady shear viscosity measurements were made at 25C using a 40 mm parallel plate fixture on Rheometrics Stress Rheometer (DSR) which is a commercially available instrument sold by Rheometrics, Scientific, One Possumtown Rd., Piscataway, NJ 08854.
• DSR Rheometrics Stress Rheometer
• the sample of monomer was sandwiched between the two plates and squeezed out till a gap setting of 0.45 to 0.5 mm was achieved. The excess material was cleaned out and the sample was then subjected to a set of predetermined shear rates. At each shear rate, the viscosity measurement was made when the torque was at steady state. Analysis indicated the viscosity to be independent of the shear rate.
• the viscosity was reported in Table 2 in centipoise (cps).
• the refractive index of resin compositions and cured films were measured using an Abbe Refractometer, made by Erma Inc. of Tokyo Japan and distributed by Fisher Scientific.

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• 1998
  • 1998-09-02 WO PCT/US1998/018127 patent/WO2000014050A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 1998-09-02 CA CA002340671A patent/CA2340671A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1998-09-02 DE DE69815404T patent/DE69815404T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1998-09-02 KR KR1020017002646A patent/KR100590637B1/ko not_active Expired - Fee Related
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  • 1998-09-02 JP JP2000568810A patent/JP4116252B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
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