SYNTHESIS OF NOVEL POLYXANTHENES FROM POLY(ARYLENE ETHER)S CONTAININGBENZOYL GROUPS

Poly( arylene ether)s (3), (4) containing pendant benzoyl groups as pr ecursors for novel polyxanthenes (7), (8) were prepared by nucleophili c substitution reaction of 2,5-difluoro-4-benzoylbenzophenone (1) or f luoro-4-(4-dodecylbenzoyl)-4'-dodecylbenzophenone (2) with hydroquinon e derivatives in the presence of potassium carbonate in N,N-dimethylac etamide. The polycondensation proceeded smoothly at 165 degrees C and produced poly(arylene ether)s with inherent viscosities up to 0.80 dL/ g. The novel polyxanthenes were synthesized via the reduction of poly( arylene ether)s followed by the Friedel-Crafts cyclization of diol pol ymers. The structure of the polyxanthenes was characterized by H-1-NMR and IR spectroscopies. Polyxanthene 8 was quite soluble in chloroform and THF. The 10% weight loss temperature of polyxanthene 7 was 510 de grees C in nitrogen and it was 90 degrees C higher than the correspond ing poly(arylene ether) 3. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.