MACROCYCLIC OLIGOMERIC ARYLENE ETHER KETONES - SYNTHESIS AND POLYMERIZATION

Some novel macrocylic(arylene ether ketone)oligomers were synthesized in high yields by a nucleophilic aromatic substitution reaction of 4,4 '-dinitrobenzophenone with bisphenols in the presence of anhydrous pot assium carbonate under pseudo-high-dilution conditions. Detailed struc tural characterization of these oligomers by matrix-assisted laser des orption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS), H- 1 NMR and FT-IR confirmed their cyclic nature and the compositions of the oligomeric mixtures was indicated by GPC analysis. Ring-opening po lymerization of cyclic oligomers 3a to a high molecular weight polymer with M-w of 52.3 and M-n of 17.2 k was achieved by heating at 280 deg rees C for 40 min in the presence of a nucleophilic initiator.