REMARKABLY THERMALLY STABLE, POLAR ALIPHATIC POLYSULFONE

A polar ester-functionalized aliphatic polysulfone with an odd-number of linking carbon atoms possessing remarkable thermal stability, degra ding at 100 degrees C above previously prepared polysulfones, was prep ared in conjunction with the proposal of a novel concept for polar org anic polymers. The synthesis involved polyaddition of vinyl sulfone an d tert-butyl ethyl malonate in the presence of an amidine base and cat alytic amount of water, followed by decarbo-tert-butoxylation. The pol ymers were characterized by infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance sp ectroscopies, elemental analysis, gel permeation chromatography, diffe rential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis. Characte rization results compared well with model compounds. Poly-decarbo-tert -butoxylation was achieved by exposure to trifluoroacetic acid, follow ed by treatment with copper(I) oxide, affording a soluble polar polysu lfone, which could be cast into homogeneous films.