SYNTHESIS OF POLY(ENARYLOXYNITRILES) CONTAINING SCHIFF BASES AND THEIR THERMAL-PROPERTIES

Poly(enaryloxynitriles) containing Schiff bases were prepared from p-b is(1-chloro-2,2-dicyanovinyl)benzene (2) and various aromatic diols ha ving Schiff base moiety by interfacial polymerization. The chemical st ructure of the polymers was confirmed through syntheses of their corre sponding model compounds. All the polymers were soluble in polar aprot ic solvents and their brittle films were cast from DMF solution. They showed a large exotherm around 340 degrees C attributable to the chemi cal change of dicyanovinyl group. Especially, curing of azomethine gro up was observed to occur at 390 degrees C by differential scanning cal orimetry. According to the thermogravimetric analyses, they exhibited excellent thermal stability with 60-90% residual weight at 500 degrees C in nitrogen.