Synthesis and characterization of a novel reactive ladderlike 4,4 '-phenylene ether-bridged polyvinylsiloxane

A novel soluble, reactive ladderlike 4,4'-phenylene ether-bridged polyvinyl -siloxane (L) was synthesized successfully for the first time by a stepwise coupling polymerization (SCP) including hydrolysis and polycondensation. T he monomer, 4,4'-bis(vinyldimethoxysilyl )phenylene ether (M), was synthesi zed by Grignard reaction. The structures of the monomer and the polymer wer e characterized by infrared spectrometry (IR), nuclear magnetic resonance ( H-1 NMR, C-13 NMR, Si-29 NMR), mass spectrometry (MS), differential scannin g calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffration (XRD), and gel permeation chromatogra phy (GPC). It is proposed from the characterization data that the polymer p ossesses an ordered ladderlike structure. (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.