Citation

BibTex format

@article{Bannock:2016:10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2016.04.016,
author = {Bannock, JH and Xu, W and Baïssas, T and Heeney, M and de, Mello JC},
doi = {10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2016.04.016},
journal = {European Polymer Journal},
pages = {240--246},
title = {Rapid flow-based synthesis of poly(3-hexylthiophene) using 2-methyltetrahydrofuran as a bio-derived reaction solvent},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2016.04.016},
volume = {80},
year = {2016}
}

RIS format (EndNote, RefMan)

TY  - JOUR
AB - We report the synthesis of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) by Grignard metathesis (GRIM) polymerization using the bio-derived ‘green’ solvent 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (2-MeTHF). Using a standard flask-based reaction, the molecular weight distribution, regioregularity and product yield were found to be similar to those obtained under equivalent conditions using tetrahydrofuran (THF) as a reaction solvent. The synthesis was subsequently adapted to a novel “tube-in-shell” droplet-based flow reactor, using a newly developed high-solubility catalyst derived from nickel(II) bromide ethylene glycol dimethyl ether complex (Ni(dme)Br2) and 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane (dppp). Use of the new catalyst together with an increased reaction temperature of 65 oC (enabled by the higher boiling point of 2-MeTHF) resulted in an approximate four-fold increase in reaction rate compared to a standard THF- based synthesis at 55 oC, with full conversion reached within one minute. The purified flow- synthesized polymer had an Mw of 46 kg mol-1, a low PDI of 1.4, and a regioregularity of 93 %, indicating the suitability of flow-based GRIM polymerization in 2-MeTHF for the high- throughput synthesis of high quality P3HT.
AU - Bannock,JH
AU - Xu,W
AU - Baïssas,T
AU - Heeney,M
AU - de,Mello JC
DO - 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2016.04.016
EP - 246
PY - 2016///
SN - 1873-1945
SP - 240
TI - Rapid flow-based synthesis of poly(3-hexylthiophene) using 2-methyltetrahydrofuran as a bio-derived reaction solvent
T2 - European Polymer Journal
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2016.04.016
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/31258
VL - 80
ER -