Imidazolium-2-carboxylates (NHC-CO(2) adducts, 3) and (benz)imidazolium hydrogen carbonates ([NHC(H)][HCO(3)], 4) were independently employed as organic precatalysts for various molecular N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalyzed reactions. NHC-CO(2) adducts were obtained by carboxylation in THF of related free NHCs (2), while the synthesis of [NHC(H)][HCO(3)] precursors was directly achieved by anion metathesis of imidazolium halides (1) using potassium hydrogen carbonate (KHCO(3)) in methanolic solution, without the need for the prior preparation of free carbenes. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and TGA coupled with mass spectrometry (TGA-MS) of most [NHC(H)][HCO(3)] precursors 4 showed a degradation profile in stages, with either a concomitant or a stepwise release of H(2)O and CO(2), between 108 and 280 °C, depending on the nature of the azolium and substituents. In solution, NHC generation from both [NHC(H)][HCO(3)] salts and NHC-CO(2) adducts could be achieved at room temperature, most likely by a simple solvation effect. Both types of precursors proved efficient for organocatalyzed molecular reactions, including cyanosilylation, benzoin condensation, and transesterification reactions. The catalytic efficiencies of NHC-CO(2) adducts 3 were found to be approximately 3 times higher than those of their [NHC(H)][HCO(3)] counterparts 4.

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The cobalt-mediated radical polymerization (CMRP) of 1-vinyl-3-ethylimidazolium bromide (VEtImBr) is described. Polymerizations were performed at 30 °C in solution either in dimethylformamide (DMF) or in methanol (MeOH) or in a mixture of both solvents, using a preformed alkyl–cobalt(III) adduct, CH3OC(CH3)2CH2–C(CH3)(CN)–(CH2–CHOAc)<4–Co(acac)2, as the mediating agent. Excellent control over molecular weights and dispersities (M w/M n ∼ 1.05–1.06) was achieved in MeOH, with a linear increase of experimental molecular weights with the monomer conversion. Substituting methanol for DMF induced much faster polymerization process, even under quite high diluted conditions: for instance, about 80% monomer conversion was reached in 30 min in DMF, compared to 10 h in MeOH. However, size exclusion chromatography (SEC) traces of PVEtImBr samples synthesized in DMF revealed a side population in the high molecular weight region, presumably due to the occurrence of irreversible coupling reactions of a small proportion of growing chains. Well-defined diblock copolymers featuring both a poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) block and a PVEtImBr-based poly(ionic liquid) block, PVAc-b-PVEtImBr, were next obtained by sequential CMRP of VAc and VEtImBr. To this end, a PVAc-Co(acac)2 was first prepared by CMRP and employed as a macroinitiator for the polymerization of VEtImBr either in methanol or in a mixture of DMF and MeOH (2/1: v/v) at 30 °C. Finally, cobalt-mediated radical coupling (CMRC) of the aforementioned PVAc-b-PVEtImBr diblock copolymers, using isoprene as a simple coupling agent, led to unprecedented and structurally well-defined PVAc-b-PVEtImBr-b-PVAc triblock copolymers.

Statistical copoly(ionic liquid)s (coPILs), namely, poly(styrene)-co-poly(4-vinylbenzylethylimidazolium acetate) are synthesized by free-radical copolymerization in methanolic solution. These coPILs serve to in situ generate polymer-supported N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs), referred to as polyNHCs, due to the noninnocent role of the weakly basic acetate counter-anion interacting with the proton in C2-position of pendant imidazolium rings. Formation of polyNHCs is first evidenced through the quantitative formation of NHC-CS2 units by chemical postmodification of acetate-containing coPILs, in the presence of CS2 as electrophilic reagent (= stoichiometric functionalization of polyNHCs). The same coPILs are also employed as masked precursors of polyNHCs in organocatalyzed reactions, including a one-pot two-step sequential reaction involving benzoin condensation followed by addition of methyl acrylate, cyanosilylation, and transesterification reactions. The catalytic activity can be switched on and off successively upon thermal activation, thanks to the deprotonation/reprotonation equilibrium in C2-position. NHC species are thus in situ released upon heating at 80 °C (deprotonation), while regeneration of the coPIL precursor occurs at room temperature (reprotonation), triggering its precipitation in tetrahydrofuran. This also allows recycling the coPIL precatalyst by simple filtration, and reusing it for further catalytic cycles. The different organocatalyzed reactions tested can thus be performed with excellent yields after several cycles.

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Synthesis of novel poly(ionic liquid)s, namely, poly(1‐vinyl‐3‐alkylimidazolium hydrogen carbonate)s, denoted as poly([NHC(H)][HCO3])s or PVRImHCO3, where R is an alkyl group (R = ethyl, butyl, phenylethyl, dodecyl), is described. Two distinct synthetic routes were explored. The first method is based on the free‐radical polymerization (FRP) of 1‐vinyl‐3‐alkylimidazolium monomers featuring a hydrogen carbonate counter anion (HCO3−), denoted as VRImHCO3. The latter monomers were readily synthesized by alkylation of 1‐vinylimidazole (VIm), followed by direct anion exchange of 1‐vinyl‐3‐alkylimidazolium bromide monomers (VRImBr), using potassium hydrogen carbonate (KHCO3) in methanol at room temperature. Alternatively, the same anion exchange method could be applied onto FRP‐derived poly(1‐vinyl‐3‐alkylimidazolium bromide) precursors (PVRImBr). All PVRImHCO3 salts proved air stable and could be manipulated without any particular precautions. They could serve as polymer‐supported precatalysts to generate polymer‐supported N‐heterocyclic carbenes, referred to as poly(NHC)s, formally by a loss of “H2CO3” (H2O +CO2) in solution. This was demonstrated through selected organocatalyzed reactions of molecular chemistry, known as being efficiently mediated by molecular NHC catalysts, including benzoin condensation, transesterification and cyanosilylation of aldehyde. Of particular interest, recycling of the polymer‐supported precatalysts was possible by re‐carboxylation of in situ generated poly(NHC)s. Organocatalyzed reactions could be performed with excellent yields, even after five catalytic cycles. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 4530–4540

A poly(ionic liquid)-based block copolymer (PIL BCP), namely, poly(vinyl acetate)-b-poly(N-vinyl-3-butylimidazolium bromide), PVAc-b-PVBuImBr, is synthesized by sequential cobalt-mediated radical polymerization (CMRP). A PVAc precursor is first prepared at 30 °C in bulk by CMRP of VAc, using bis(acetylacetonato)cobalt(II), Co(acac)2, and a radical source (V-70). Growth of PVBuImBr from PVAc-Co(acac)2 is accomplished by CMRP in DMF/MeOH (2:1, v/v). This PIL BCP self-assembles in the sub-micron size range into aggregated core-shell micelles in THF, whereas polymeric vesicles are observed in water, as evidenced by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Thin-solid sample cut from raw materials analyzed by TEM shows an ordered lamellar organization by temperature-dependent synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Anion exchange can be accomplished to achieve the corresponding PIL BCP with bis(trifluorosulfonyl)imide (Tf2 N(-)) anions, which also gives rise to an ordered lamellar phase in bulk samples. A complete suppression of SAXS second-order reflection suggests that this compound has a symmetric volume fraction (f ≈ 0.5). SAXS characterization of both di- and triblock PIL BCP analogues previously reported also shows a lamellar phase of very similar behavior, with only an increase of the period by about 8% at 60 °C.

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