Fundamental studies on condensative chain polymerizations leading to poly(arylene ether)s

CHED 706

Tricia Meyer, meyer.95@wright.edu and Eric Fossum, eric.fossum@wright.edu. Department of Chemistry, Wright State University, 229 Oelman Hall, 3640 Colonel Glenn Highway, Dayton, OH 45435
The synthesis of poly(arylene ether)s, via nucleophilic aromatic substitution, NAS, with controlled molecular weights and narrow polydispersity indices requires the conversion of a typical step-growth process into a condensative chain polymerization. In order to achieve this goal the electrophilic site in an AB-type monomer must be less reactive than those in the oligomeric or polymeric end groups, thus preventing the reaction of monomer with monomer. This report will describe our efforts to explore the fundamental aspects of condensative chain polymerization using the AB-type monomer, 3-fluoro-5-hydroxydiphenylsulfone, 1. The reactivity of the electrophilic site, C-F, was probed via a combination of 13C and 19F NMR spectroscopy on the phenol and phenoxide versions of 1. NAS polymerization reactions of 1 were carried out in the presence of a series of highly reactive “initiator” molecules to afford the corresponding poly(arylene ether)s with controlled molecular weights and relatively narrow polydispersity indices.