SYNTHESIS OF HIGH-MOLECULAR-WEIGHT POLY(ETHER KETONE)S BY POLYCONDENSATION OF ACTIVATED BIS(ARYL CHLORIDE)S WITH BISPHENOLATES

The ability to achieve high molecular weight poly(ether ketone)s from the polycondensation of bis(aryl chloride)s with bis(phenolate)s has n ot been consistently demonstrated. The polymerizations presented here help to delineate for specific bis(aryl chloride)/bisphenolate pairs t he reaction conditions required to obtain high molecular weight polyme rs. Polycondensation of 1,3-bis(4-chlorobenzoyl)-5-tert-butylbenzene ( 6) and 2,2'-bis(4-chlorobenzoyl)-biphenyl (15) with various bisphenola tes as well as of 2,2'-bis(4-hydroxyphenoxy)biphenyl(33) with 4,4'-dic hlorobenzophenone (41) and 1,3-bis(4-chlorobenzoyl)benzene (43) were u sed as representative model systems to select reaction conditions that led to high molecular weight polymers. (C) 1995 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.